CHINESE NORTHER WEI PAINTED TERRACOTTA BRICK

C. 386-534 AD. Northern Wei Dynasty. A painted brick featuring a reclining Buddha figure placed within a rectangular recess. Buddha, who supports his head with one arm, while the other is placed on his side, wears a red robe with green details; his neat hair is picked out in black, his eyes are closed and his lips are accented in red. The reclining Buddha scene is important within ancient Buddhism, as it symbolises his final illness before passing into Nirvana (ultimate spiritual enlightenment). After his death, Buddha's followers built a statue of him in the same reclined position; this brick may depict either Buddha himself or the statue. The Northern Wei dynasty ruled northern China from c. 386 to 534 AD and its most famous achievement was unifying a large empire following a long period of social and political turbulence. However, craftsmen working under this dynasty were also responsible for beautiful works of art, many of which relate to Buddhist religion, as this object exemplifies. Provenance: From the private collection of D. Ruskin, Oxfordshire; formerly in a British collection formed in the 1990s on the UK / International art markets. Size: L:340mm / W:170mm ; 5.4kg