A Parcel Gilt Copper Alloy Figure Depicting an Arhat

Private Missouri Collection

The finely cast and gilded figure represents one of the Sixteen Great Arhats, considered to be the Elders of Buddhism and students of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. The bronze is likely to depict either Kanakabharadhvaja or Chudapanthaka, both figures often shown seated in the diamond posture with hands folded in meditation; there is no inscription to aid the identification. The bronze bears close resemblance to a particularly fine and expressive Qianlong series of arhats, of which four are now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, gifted by Natasha Rambova, 1963-155-7, 1963-155-8, 1963-155-9, 1963-155-10, and four sold by Sotheby’s New York, September 21, 2007, lots 48, 49, also previously in the Rambova collection, and March 24, 2011, lots 74, 75 (previously sold September 22, 2000, lot 23, sometime collection of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt II).

A series depicting the arhats would often comprise twenty-five bronzes altogether in keeping with post-16th century Sino-Tibetan tradition, with the Sixteen Great Arhats together with Dharmatala and Hvashang, Buddha Shakyamuni and his principal disciples Maudgalyayana and Shariputra, and the Four Guardians of the Directions, Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Virudhaka and Dhritarashtra.

The sculpture is distinguished by exquisite quality, poise and freedom of expression in common with the Rambova and Vanderbilt sculptures, with related cushion design and idiosyncratic rendering of the robes with deep folds and a loose collar. Typical of bronzes from the Qianlong period the face and hands are not fire-gilded but painted with matte gold to create a naturalistic effect in contrast with the burnished mercury gilding of the robes and throne cushions.