A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AMITAYUS DATED QIANLONG XINSI YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1761 |

cast seated in vajraparyankasana on a rectangular plinth, the hands held in dhyana mudra and bearing a bumpa issuing peacock plumes, wearing an elaborate crown and ornate jewelry, the contemplative face and upswept hair with traces of red and blue pigment, a sash tied over the proper left shoulder and secured about the waist, all framed by a separately cast flaming pierced mandorla, the front of the plinth with a textile draped over the front and centered by a blossom, an inscription reading Da Qing Qianlong xinsi nian jingzao (Respectfully made in the xinsi year of the Qianlong period in the Great Qing Dynasty, corresponding to 1761)

The Chang Foundation Collection.

Jintongfo zaoxiang tulu/Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, pl. 20.

In overall good condition with expected wear and minor pitting. With minor casting flaws and minute losses along the extremities including flame tips of the mandorla and crown. The vessel retained but loose.With blue pigment in the hair and red pigment traces to the back of the crown. The base slightly compressed.
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.

Amitayus was among the most popular deities from the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon in the Qing dynasty, particularly in the Qianlong period. Emblematic of longevity, large numbers of figures were commissioned in gilt-bronze and porcelain by the Qianlong Emperor for the occasion of the Empress Dowager Chongqing's 60th and 70th birthdays. The date of the present figure coincided with the Empress Dowager's 70th birthday.