A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI 17TH CENTURY |

cast seated in vajraparyankasana with the proper right hand in bhumisparsha mudra, wearing a kasaya robe with dense floral scrollwork marking each patchwork border and hem, the dhoti gathered and pleated along the chest, partially covered by the outer layer of the robe draped over the left shoulder, the lower section falling in luxuriant folds about the legs, raised on a double-lotus base and sealed with a copper plate inscribed with a vishvavajra

The Chang Foundation Collection.

Jintongfo zaoxiang tulu/Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, pl. 12.

In overall good condition. The urna and attribute once held in lower hand now lost. The base plate dented, cracked and beginning to separate from the base. With wear to the gilding, minor pitting, and surface wear typical of age.Blue pigment still mostly present in hair. A small minor patch of verdipatination is below the lowered hand.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

As discussed in the Chang Foundation Collection catalogue, Jintongfo zaoxiang tulu/Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, p. 38, the Chinese translation for kasaya is futian ('happy fields'), perhaps expressing the ascetic monk's contentment with the bare minimum. A closely related bronze figure, with the hands in dhyana mudra, from the Munsterberg collection, is illustrated in Hugo Munsterberg, Chinese Buddhist Bronzes, Japan, 1967, pls 18a-b. Compare as well a related gilt-bronze figure of a Buddha attributed to the 17th/18th century, with the hands in dharmacakra mudra, sold at Christie's New York, 17th March 2017, lot 1031.