Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
One of the many objets d'art—art objects, that is—that Bradley Pearson has on display in his apartment is a bronze water buffalo with a lady perched on top. Bradley gives the piece to Julian Baffin when she asks for it—before he has even the slightest inkling of their love affair, or so he says—and he soon receives an unpleasant reminder that it wasn't actually his to give.
As Bradley is soon informed by his weepy sister, Priscilla Saxe, the bronze water buffalo was hers, not his. Priscilla gave it to Bradley for safekeeping, and his thoughtlessness in giving it away adds yet more fuel to the fire of Priscilla's grief.
So what does the bronze water buffalo represent?
All signs point to the art piece being a symbol of Priscilla herself. When Bradley gives the water buffalo to Julian, forgetting that it actually belongs to Priscilla, the action foreshadows his later decision to abandon Priscilla so that he can escape to his northern seaside cottage with Julian.
Likewise, Francis Marloe does his best to repair the piece after Priscilla damages it by throwing it against the wall, but his well-intentioned efforts only make things worse. The same thing happens to Priscilla when Francis tries to nurse her back to health.
Coincidences? We think not.