A large carved wood bodhisattva on a qilin, Ming dynasty | 明 木雕菩薩坐像

A large carved wood bodhisattva on a qilin
Ming dynasty

possibly Ksitigarbha, seated in lalitasana on a lotus throne supported on the back of a qilin, the right hand in vitarkamudra, the mythical beast standing on a lotus plinth, its body painted with black scales, the feet clawed and the head dragon-like
Height 98 cm, 38½ in.
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Sculpture en bois d'un bodhisattva sur un qilin, dynastie Ming
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明 木雕菩薩坐像

Condition Report:
The wood figure is preserved overall in good condition. As visible in the photos, there are typical age cracks, and minor chips to the edges and details, including a section under the left foot. There are areas of restorations, including the tail which has been broken off and refixed and the very tip of the crown bracket.

Catalogue Note:
Related Bodhisattvas include a triad set carved in mammoth ivory of Shayamuni with Samanthabhadra and Manjushri, dated to the Yuan or Song dynasty, similarly seated on mythical animals, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum, New York (accession number 34.26.1a, b-.3a, b.).

Provenance:
Sotheby's, London, 11th March 1969, lot 59.

Eskenazi Ltd., London.

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倫敦蘇富比1969年3月11日，編號59

埃斯卡納齊，倫敦