A FINE GILT-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF AMIDA NYORAI, EDO PERIOD

A FINE GILT-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF AMIDA NYORAI, EDO PERIOD
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve

The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 564, BR 2001, Jap. Buddha on lotus stand 18th-19th c. ca. 47 cm h.”
Gallery price: EUR 1,850 or approx.

EUR 3,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing.

Japan, 18th-19th century. Of yosegi (joined) construction, skillfully carved to depict Amida standing in samabhanga, wearing a loose-fitting robe opening at the chest and cascading in voluminous folds, the serene face sensitively modeled with downcast eyes, elegantly arched brows centered by a crystal-inlaid byakugo (urna), and slender bow-shaped lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by pendulous lobes, the hair arranged in tight curls over the ushnisha with a crystal-inlaid nikkeishu (jewel of wisdom).

Amida stands atop two lotus pods encircled by overlapping petals raised on a compressed foliate-decorated base, all supported on an elaborate tiered octagonal stand with balustrades and decorated with foliate designs and geometric motifs. The deity is backed by a richly carved cloud-form kogai (aureole) with lotiform halo.

Provenance: Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, 2001. Jorgen Ruben, acquired from the above. In the Jorgen Ruben Collection for 25 years.

Jorgen Ruben is a Danish art dealer and collector who has been active for over four decades and is highly regarded in the fields of Asian art and classical antiquities. Raised in an art-conscious family, Ruben was exposed early to both modern painting and European decorative arts. He began working in the art trade in the mid-1970s, first with Persian rugs and later with antiques, while travels to Iran and a visit to Persepolis sparked his lasting interest in antiquity. After studies in Copenhagen and London, he worked in England with a dealer in early furniture, before travelling widely in Latin America and Asia, deepening his knowledge of regional art and culture. In 1984 Ruben opened a gallery in Copenhagen dealing in Asian antiquities. He was later active in London and, in the early 2000s, operated the Brussels gallery Classic Art. Much of his career, however, has been conducted privately from home, selling by appointment to collectors, galleries, and museums. Ruben has always bought selectively, choosing only works that deeply engaged him, and often keeping them for many years until placing them with a collector he felt truly understood them.

Important Note: For essential information on the

Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger

Condition: Extensive wear, losses, chips, expected flaking to gilt, few nicks, light scratches and age cracks, all as expected and with associated repairs and touchups. The various sections reinforced. Overall still presenting well.

Weight: 566 g
Dimensions: Height 50 cm

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 12 June 2026, lot 125
Price:

EUR 7,150
Description: A fine and large (77 cm) gilt-lacquered wood figure of Amida Nyorai, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, subject, and similar aureole and lotus throne. Note the size (77 cm).

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