CHINESE NORTHER WEI STONE PANEL WITH BUDDHA DEPICTION

C. 386-534 AD. Northern Wei Dynasty. A painted stone panel/stela featuring a painted Buddha flanked by two figures. The Buddha stands facing towards, smiling, with his right hand raised. This gesture, known as the Abhaya Mudra symbolises fearlessness. It shows the stage of the Buddha's life immediately after he achieved enlightenment. The Buddha's robes are carefully picked out in red, he is backed by a circular red halo, his hair is painted jet black. The same goes for the two flanking figures. 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 a religious nature, as this brick exemplifies. Provenance: Private London collection of Asian Art; formerly in an old British collection. Acquired in Hong Kong in the early 1990s. Size: L:500mm / W:340mm ; 32kg