Bonhams 1793 : A cast bronze seated figure of the Buddha Ming dynasty

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20 Dec 2011 10:00 PST San Francisco
Chinese Works of Art
Back to auction 19433

A cast bronze seated figure of the Buddha

Ming dynasty
The Amitabha Buddha with coiffure of circular ushnisha in crisply cast curls surrounding a prominent secondary urna, surmounting a quietly blissful expression of pendulous earlobes framing a full square face, with loose-fitting robes elaborately tied at mid-waist with hems of incised lotus and flower decoration open to reveal a chest centered by small svastika, hands with incised cakra on the palm held in the dhyanamudra upon folded legs in the dhyanasana posture of meditation seated upon an unsealed multi-petaled lotus throne with stylized leaf and vines elaborately cast en-suite; all exterior surfaces showing traces of red and gilt lacquer.
29in (73.5cm)

Sold for US$ 578,500 inc. premium

Footnotes

A very similarly rendered Buddha without the accompanying lotus throne was sold in these rooms as lot 8184 in our sale of June 21, 2011. In that lot as well as the present one, the dhyana posture and mudra suggest that the figures may represent Amitabha Buddha of the Western Paradise.

In both cases, the full figured faces with blissful expressions indicate a more corporeal rendering of this divinity and are typical of the aesthetic of the period. Further, details such as the incised lotus designs along the hems of the loose but elaborately cast dhotis reminiscent of contemporaneous textile designs are also common in Ming dynasty bronzes.