A LARGE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA MING DYNASTY

cast seated in dhyanasana with hands held in dhyanamudra, clad in loose robes with chased floral borders, pulled over the shoulders and open at the chest to reveal a wan symbol above the antaravasaka tied at the waist, the serene meditative face adorned with an urna on the forehead, beneath tightly curled hair surrounding the cudamani and covering the jewel-topped ushnisha

Overall the figure appears to be in good condition. There are some casting patches visible, most noticeably on the chest and back. There are some minor nicks along the edges, a chip to the fold of the robe over the figure's right knee and another chip to the lower right edge of the robe. There is wear to the gilding, and traces of red pigment on the jewel on the ushnisha.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This figure represents Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, the Buddha of the beyond and the afterlife and the fourth of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. In most depictions of Amitabha he is seated cross-legged with his hands on his lap in the meditational pose, as seen in the present figure, with thumbs and fingers touching. His facial features follow the strict rules for the depiction of Buddhas to ensure he was shown embodying maximum power. The most important detail of the face is the eyes, which are depicted half closed in meditation on the present figure but more importantly in the shape of lotus petals in keeping with ancient rendering instructions. His long earlobes symbolise long life while the slight smile suggests he has understood the truth about life.

A related figure of slightly larger size was sold at Christie’s London, 13th December 1982, lot 686. Figures of this type were often placed surmounting a lotus flower, one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism and representative of spiritual purity; for example see two similar figures sold in these rooms, 19th November 1986, lot 105; and the other, 6th November 1981, lot 48.

Popular amongst followers in China as one of the most compassionate figures in Buddhism, he is believed to reside in Sukhavati, the Pure and Happy Land, a Buddhist paradise in the West. Meher McArthur, in Reading Buddhist Art, London, 2002, p. 39, notes that ‘according to the Sutra of the Pure and Happy Land, all mortals can be reborn in the Pure Land if they worship Amitabha’. This saving aspect of Amitabha originates from a vow made while still a bodhisattva to save all beings if he himself could attain enlightenment’.