A RARE PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF A SEATED LUOHAN SOUTHERN SONG DYNASTY

seated in padmasana, his head slightly inclined in a meditative attitude with hands interlocked in front of his chest, his face set in a meditative expression, garbed in robes falling in naturalistic folds, the square-toed shoe on his left foot protruding below the hem, with traces of polychrome green, red, and black paint on the garment and a pale slip originally applied on the face and hands 

Collection of Arthur Vernay, Nassau.
Sotheby's London, 10th June 1986, lot 88.
Christie's Hong Kong, 2nd November 1999, Lot 766.

There is some surface wear, rubbing and flaking to the pigments, all consistent with age and visible on the photo. There are a few expected old chips including chips to the fingers of the left hand and along the edges of the robe. There does not appear to be any obvious break showing on visual inspection or under UV but this would need to be confirmed by X-ray, especially the neck where there could be some retouching to the pigment (showing on the photo). There are drilled marks of thermoluminescence tests to the base photo available on request).
"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."

Seated in a meditative post with eyes slightly downcast, this figure is notable for its naturalistic yet serene modelling which captures a sense of deep contemplation. It follows in the tradition established during the Tang dynasty (618-907) when highly realistic sculptures of meditating Luohans were produced in a variety of materials to be displayed in temples, where they encouraged devotees to reach a state of deep meditation.

A similar painted pottery sculpture of a seated luohan in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, is illustrated in René-Yvon Lefebvre d’Argencé, Chinese. Korean and Japanese Sculpture in the Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, 1974, pl. 147. Further related sculptures include two from Zijin’an temple, Wu Xian, Jiangsu province and now in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Wan-go Weng and Yang Boda, The Palace Museum, Peking. Treasures of the Forbidden City, London, 1982, pls 145 and 146; one in the Baerwald collection, included in the exhibition Ausstellung Chinesischer Kunst, Berlin, 1929, cat. no. 494; and another, once in the Sun Zi temple, Shanxi province, sold in our New York rooms, 4th December 1984, lot 116, from the collection of Mrs James Cromwell. Although dated to the Ming dynasty, compare also two related sculpture from the collections of C.T. Loo and J.T. Tai, sold in our New York rooms, 22nd March 2011, lots 271 and 272.