Guandi (160-220AD) was a general who served under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty and who is today worshipped as a guardian deity in the Taoist and Buddhist religions.
In this sculpture he is shown seated, wearing a long robe and holding his beard, while his face expresses serenity and fortitude.
The 17th century, late Ming Dynasty work is 6in (15.5cm) high and comes to auction from a private Portuguese collection. It is estimated to fetch €15,000-20,000.