明 木雕阿難尊者立像

finely carved standing upright, with hands joined in anjalimudra, attired in flowing long-sleeved monk's robes, draped with a kashaya fastened over one shoulder with a loop and hook tied with chords, the full face with downcast eyes and reverent expression

Walter L. Price (1936-2014) 收藏，舊金山

The statue with some naturally-occurring narrow vertical cracks, and minor losses (for instance, to the tips of the fingers, and an approx. 5 x 2.5-cm loss to the drapery by the right heel). Otherwise, with only superficial wear, particularly to the gesso and paint (as illustrated) and scattered shallow nicks to the surface, as expected with age.
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.

Ananda was one of Buddha’s first cousins, and of all the disciples, had the most retentive memory. Most of the sutras in the first part of the Pali Canon are attributed to his recollection of Buddha's teachings during the First Buddhist Council.

In the Chan Buddhist tradition, Kasyapa, another of Buddha's principal disciples, is considered the first Indian patriarch, and Ananda the second. The pair are often portrayed on either side of the Buddha. This arrangement is commonly found in caves in China dating from the Northern Wei dynasty (386-535), with Ananda standing to Buddha’s right and Kasyapa to the left, as seen in the Central Binyang Cave at Longmen, illustrated in Angela Falco Howard, Li Song, Wu Hung and Yang Hong, Chinese Sculpture, New Haven, 2006, p. 238, fig. 3.39. This standard iconographic arrangement continued through the Sui, Tang, Liao and Song periods, to the Ming dynasty.