Live Auction 18823Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
A RARE DRY LACQUER FIGURE OF A SEATED BUDDHA
Lot 1533

A RARE DRY LACQUER FIGURE OF A SEATED BUDDHA

YUAN DYNASTY (1279-1368)

Closed25 September 2020

Price Realised

USD 32,500

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A RARE DRY LACQUER FIGURE OF A SEATED BUDDHA
YUAN DYNASTY (1279-1368)
The figure is shown seated in padmasana and with hands held in dhyana mudra, wearing loose robes and a shawl that falls in graceful folds on the shoulders, the hair dressed in small conical snail curls that also cover the domed ushnisha, which is surmounted by a gold ball, the torso, arms and the back with traces of gold lacquer remaining.
22 in. (56 cm.) high

Specialist note


Shown seated cross-legged in meditation, with hands held palms up in the lap, the ends of the thumbs touching, this sensitive depiction of a Buddha likely represents Buddha Amitabha. Also known as Amitayus, Amitabha is the principal Buddha in Pure Land Buddhism and one of the most popular deities in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon.

The gentle, youthful appearance of the face with small mouth and thin lips, the flat ears which cling closely to the head, the large ushnisha surmounted by a gold ball, and the relatively spikey hair all compare favorably with Yuan-dynasty qingbai images from Jingdezhen, such as the figure of Buddha sold at Christie’s Paris, 14 December 2016, lot 50. Other noteworthy similarities include the slender waist and the lack of any decorative border designs on the drapery, the ends of which ripple at the chest and on the arms.