東魏興和二年（540年） 銅鎏金寶佛並坐像

銘文：
興和二年劉美造像為七世父母後為已身 春旦合家大小息令和阿女一切眾生成佛

Mahé Gallery, Paris, 1970s / 80s.
French Private Collection.

One front leg has been reattached. The roof appears to have been separately cast and attached. There are some minor chips along the edges, minor corrosion and signs of wear consistent with age.
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.

The inscription indicates that the piece was commissioned by Liu Mei to commemorate his parents from seven past lives, with the hope that the entire family and all sentient beings will eventually attain buddhahood.

The two buddhas depicted are Prabhutaratna and Sakyamuni.  In chapter eleven of the Lotus Sutra, as Sakyamuni Buddha is delivering his sermon, a jeweled stupa rises from the earth and hovers in the air. It opens to reveal Prabhutaratna, the buddha of the past age. Shakyamuni rises into the air and joins him. All those present rejoice and shower the two buddhas with flowers.

This scene is popular in Buddhist art from the Northern Wei into the Tang dynasties. Examples are illustrated in Hugo Munsterberg, Chinese Buddhist Bronzes, Rutland, 1967, pls. 33-35. Other Wei period examples are illustrated in Saburo Matsubara, Chinese Buddhist Sculpture, Tokyo, 1966, pls. 103 (a) and (b).