This delicately cast figure not only represents one of the buddhas of the four cardinal points, but also evokes the spirituality and serenity proper to meditation.
Dressed in a long, elegantly draped robe covering his shoulders, this Buddha figure is seated in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus base. The hands placed on the knees in a gesture of meditation identify the representation of Amitābha, Buddha of infinite radiance, who presides over the Pure Land, known as Sukhavati – the land of bliss. Devotion to this Buddha and the desire for rebirth on Sukhavati have a long history in China, and have been a major component of the Pure Land tradition in Chinese Mahayana Buddhism since at least the 6th century CE.
Certain details – such as the facial features and long, curved fingers – clearly indicate that the style of this figure is entirely Chinese, and compares well with icons produced in imperial workshops during the first half of the 15th century. The large, well-articulated petals at the base of the double lotus, for example, can be found on metal sculptures from the Xuande period (1426-35) onwards.
La haute qualité du moulage se reconnaît non seulement au drapé complexe du vêtement, mais aussi aux traits fins du visage et à son expression sereine.
Robert R. Bigler
Image caption:
Amitabha Buddha
Copper alloy with traces of lacquer gilding
China, Ming dynasty, circa second quarter of 15th century
Height: 28.7 cm
Ex private collection, Switzerland