Page 77 - Metropolitan Museum Collection September 2016

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A LARGE YELLOW, GREEN, TURQUOISE,
AND AUBERGINE-GLAZED FIGURE OF
AMITAYUS

MING-QING DYNASTY (1368-1911)

The fgure is seated in dhyanasana on a separately made

lotus base with his hands resting in his lap holding a vessel,

and is dressed in fowing robes and a scarf draped over his

shoulders that continues around his forearms. The face

has a benevolent expression with heavy-lidded eyes, and

is surmounted by a pointed crown inset with diminutive

images of Amitabha.

The fgure 21º in. (54 cm.) high (2)

$8,000-12,000

PROVENANCE

Hon. Chester Holcombe (1842-1912) Collection.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,
accessioned in 1884.

Amitayus, known as the ‘Buddha of Infnite Life,’ is
one of the most popular deities in the Tibetan Buddhist
pantheon; his typical iconography is recognized by
the seated full-lotus posture with hands in meditation
supporting a kalasha bottle containing the elixir
of immortality.

Ceramic Buddhist images of such unusually large size
are extremely rare, and were probably specifcally
commissioned for ritual display in temples situated
within the imperial palace precincts.

明/清 三彩無量壽佛坐像

來源
Hon. Chester Holcombe（1842-1912）珍藏。
紐約大都會藝術博物館，入藏於1884年。

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