Amitayus. China, 18th-19th century. - Lot 307

Amitayus. China, 18th-19th century. Famille Rose glazed and gilded porcelain. The Pure Land Buddha is seated in the diamond posture on a separately designed double lotus base. The hands in his lap make the gesture of meditation and hold the vase of the elixir of immortality, surmounted by the three jewels haloed by flames. He wears a yellow dhoti adorned with red floral motifs, with a green shawl draped over his shoulders. He is richly adorned with a five-element tiara, golden necklaces and bracelets reminiscent of metal sculptures inlaid with turquoise, lapis and coral. The base, with its finely detailed pink lotuses, houses a small niche and a capsule that probably housed a consecration. The Buddha itself is attached to the base by pivoting it, secured by two small tenons. Invoked to obtain long life, Amitayus was the object of particular worship during the reign of the Qianlong emperor (1735-1796). He commissioned and presented his mother, Empress Dowager Xiaocheng, with numerous representations of the deity, on the occasion of her 60th, 70th and 80th birthdays. Comparable representations of Amitayus in Famille Rose porcelain of this quality and size are rare. A few similar examples have been sold on the international market in recent years: Christie's New York, September 23, 2022, lot 918, Sotheby's New York, September 20, 2023, lot 712, Sotheby's March 23, 2011, lot 729. These sculptures would have been arranged in groups in important temples during the 18th and 19th centuries, in order to obtain long life for Chinese rulers. Height: 29.7 cm. (Some restorations and accidents, ask for the condition report). Provenance: family collection acquired before 1965.