A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE DEPICTING THE ARHAT NAGASENA Tibeto-Chinese, Qing period, 18th Century

Himalayan Art Resources item no. 13083.

Rudi Oriental Arts, New York City, 1960s.

Wear to gilding overall with accretion throughout. Baseplate in tact.
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The arhat Nagasena is identifiable by his handheld attributes—in this case, the vase in the extended right hand. The left hand would have also held a separately cast khakkhara or staff. Representations of arhats such as the current work were likely part of a larger set of twenty-five, including Shakyamuni Buddha, his disciples Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, the Sixteen arhats, the patron Hvashang, a lay attendant Dharmatala, and the Guardians of the Four Directions, Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dhritarashtra and Virudhaka.