China, 1368-1644. Heavily cast seated in dhyanasana with his hands held in varada mudra, wearing loose-fitting monastic robes with finely incised foliate borders falling in graceful folds. The face is well cast in a meditative expression, with heavy-lidded downcast eyes and full lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by large, elongated ears. His wide forehead centered with a small circular urna , the hair arranged in tight curls, and the domed ushnisa fronted with a larger subsidiary urna.

Provenance: From a noted private collector and thence by descent. Old collector’s label ‘19’ to back.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear, particularly to gilt in exposed areas, minor casting flaws, shallow surface scratches, few minuscule nicks, minor losses. Remnants of pigment.

Weight: 7.1 kg
Dimensions: Height 38 cm (excl. base) and 42.5 cm (incl. base)

A wan (swastika) symbol is incised to the Buddha’s chest and dharma wheels are incised to the palms of his hands and soles of his feet.

With an associated, fitted wood base overall coated in red silk, dating from the late 19^th to the earlier 20^th century. The silk with wear, faded colors and tears. (2)

Expert’s note: The bronze holds several meticulously inlaid and distinct miniature plaques of rectangular shape. These typically have a ritual purpose, and are sometimes found in ancient Buddhist sculptures. Mahayana Buddhism, the predominant form in traditional China, teaches that there are an infinite number of Buddhas, all of whom are deities. The most popular Buddhas, and thus the most frequently portrayed, are Shakyamuni (the Historical Buddha), Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light) and Bhaishajyaguru (the Medicine Buddha). Although Tibetan Buddhist imagery began to appear in the repertory of Chinese art already in the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), Tibetan influence on Chinese Buddhist art became far more pronounced in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), particularly during and after the Yongle era (1403-1425), when the imperial court looked favorably upon Buddhism and made a concerted effort to build secular and religious alliances with Tibet, even inviting Tibetan monks to the capital, Beijing, to conduct religious services. In images of bodhisattvas, such Tibetan influence manifests itself in the sensuous presentation of the deity, but in images of the Buddha it is apparent in the relatively square face, the forward-turning ears, the full fleshy cheeks that frame the shallow concave depression that includes the small mouth, which is set in a subtle smile, the refined gestures, and the abundant and meticulously rendered details. All of these stylistic characteristics are visible in the present figure.

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related but slightly smaller (30.4 cm high) gilt bronze figure of Buddha, dated 16^th-17^th century, at Christie’s New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 20 September 2013, lot 1529, sold for USD 147,750. Compare also a closely related but larger (50 cm high) gilt bronze figure of Buddha, dated to the 17^th century, at Lempertz on 7 December 2018, lot 694, sold for EUR 312,500.

明代重要銅鎏金阿彌陀佛像
中國, 1368-1644年。此尊髮髻高束，面龐豐腴，雙目垂俯，眉間有白毫，相容和熙。肩胸寬厚，體態飽滿。身著敞胸袈裟，衣緣鏨刻精美的纏枝花卉,折疊曲复，曲走流回自然。左手結禪定印，右手指地結觸地印，跏趺端坐於仰覆蓮台座。

來源：知名私人收藏，保存至今。背面可見老藏家標籤“19”。
品相：狀況極好，磨損嚴重，尤其是暴露區域的鎏金，輕微鑄造缺陷，表面淺划痕，微小的划痕，輕微缺損，色素殘留。

重量：7.1 公斤
尺寸：高 38 厘米 (不含底座)，總42.5 厘米

阿彌陀佛的胸口刻有萬字，手掌和腳底刻有法輪。

配套木質底座，整體覆蓋有紅綢，可追溯至 19 世紀末至 20 世紀初。 絲綢磨損，褪色和水跡。(2)

專家注釋：造像上有鑲嵌的獨特的方形小牌，他們通常具有儀式目的，有時會出現在古代佛教雕塑中。大乘佛教是中國盛行的佛教，最受歡迎也最常出現的是釋迦牟尼、阿彌陀佛和藥師佛。儘管藏傳佛教圖像在元朝（1279-1368 年）就開始出現在中國藝術中，但在明朝（1368-1644 年），尤其是在永樂朝之後，西藏對中國佛教藝術的影響變得更加顯著。公元1403-1425年，朝廷與西藏齊心協力建立宗教聯盟，甚至邀請西藏僧侶到首都北京進行宗教儀式。在佛教造像中，這種藏族的影響體現在造像的面部表情上，相對方形的臉、前傾的耳朵、豐滿的臉頰，包括含蓄的微笑、精緻的手印，所有這些風格特徵都在本圖中可見。

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近但稍小 (高30.4 厘米) 的鎏金銅佛陀造像，十六至十七世紀，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2013年9月20日 lot 1529, 售價USD 147,750；一件稍大 (高50 厘米)鎏金銅佛 ，十七世紀，見Lempertz 2018年12月7日 lot 694, 售價EUR 312,500。