A SUPERBLY CARVED WHITE JADE BUDDHA QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

finely carved standing with hands clasped in front of him in dhyanasana holding the kalasha, the vase of immortality, clothed in loose flowing robes falling in undulous folds, his elegant and serene face with the gentle features delicately picked out, the head covered with tightly curled whorls, the upper torso bare wearing a beaded necklace, standing barefoot on a pedestal of turbulent swirling waves emanating from the centre of the base, the stone of an even, pure white tone and finished with a smooth polish

The piece is in excellent condition overall, with a particularly even and glossy polish. There are natural inclusions to the stone which run down from the waves pedestal to across one side of the base.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present piece is a fine carving of the Buddha standing on waves. The skill of the carver is seen in the naturalistic and smoothly polished folds of the drapery, which contrasts with the swirling lines of the waves beneath him. Compare a seated Buddha figure, published in Zhongguo yuqi quanji, vol. 6, Shijiazhuang, 1993, pl. 334; another seated Budai figure, from the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware III, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 334; and a standing figure, sold at Christie's New York, 28^th November 1977, lot 312.

Jade carvings of Buddhist figures exist in most major collections of Chinese art, for example see an arhat from the Palace Museum, Beijing, published ibid., pl.108; a boulder with an arhat under a tree, exhibited in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 43; and the jade figure of a Buddhist disciple, in the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, illustrated in Angus Forsyth and Brian McElney, Jades from China, Bath, 1994, pl. 326.