A Chinese bronze stele of Amitabha Buddha
A Chinese bronze stele of Amitabha Buddha, Northern Wei Dynasty, finely cast in the form of Amitabha seated in padmasana with hands depicted in dhyanamudra, the Buddha of Infinite Light raised on a quadrangular base against a petal-shaped mandorla, tight and precisely etched with lines radiating from the outlines of the Buddha, reminiscent of light emitted by the deity, inscribed on the base with auspicious lines, 11.5cm highProvenance: Collected by the current owner on the UK market in the 1980's or early 1990's Buddhism flourished in China under the direct sponsorship of the Tuoba royal family, who founded the Northern Wei dynasty. They actively embraced Buddhism, funding the creation of Buddhist statues and temple grottoes as a means of establishing their claim to the Chinese throne. This bronze stele shares stylistic similarities with other examples of the Northern Wei period with inscriptions. The robes of the Buddhas and the flames of the mandorlas on these steles are similarly indicated by close parallel grooves. See Jen Shen, Hai wai ji Gang Yai can li dai fo xiangi: zhen pin ji nian tu jian (Catalogue of Treasures of Buddhist Sculpture in Overseas Collections including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Taiyuan, Shanxi, 2007, pp. 425-39, the dates ranging from 493 to 501. 北魏 銅阿彌陀佛坐像發願文：佛子于□□□製□□平安造像一軀拍品來源：英國紳士私人收藏，現藏家於上世紀九十年代購自倫敦水晶宮
Condition Report: the mid section possibly restored
Bid on this lot
A Chinese bronze stele of Amitabha Buddha, Northern Wei Dynasty, finely cast in the form of Amitabha seated in padmasana with hands depicted in dhyanamudra, the Buddha of Infinite Light raised on a quadrangular base against a petal-shaped mandorla, tight and precisely etched with lines radiating from the outlines of the Buddha, reminiscent of light emitted by the deity, inscribed on the base with auspicious lines, 11.5cm highProvenance: Collected by the current owner on the UK market in the 1980's or early 1990's Buddhism flourished in China under the direct sponsorship of the Tuoba royal family, who founded the Northern Wei dynasty. They actively embraced Buddhism, funding the creation of Buddhist statues and temple grottoes as a means of establishing their claim to the Chinese throne. This bronze stele shares stylistic similarities with other examples of the Northern Wei period with inscriptions. The robes of the Buddhas and the flames of the mandorlas on these steles are similarly indicated by close parallel grooves. See Jen Shen, Hai wai ji Gang Yai can li dai fo xiangi: zhen pin ji nian tu jian (Catalogue of Treasures of Buddhist Sculpture in Overseas Collections including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Taiyuan, Shanxi, 2007, pp. 425-39, the dates ranging from 493 to 501. 北魏 銅阿彌陀佛坐像發願文：佛子于□□□製□□平安造像一軀拍品來源：英國紳士私人收藏，現藏家於上世紀九十年代購自倫敦水晶宮
Condition Report: the mid section possibly restored
