Ca. 386–534 AD. Northern Wei Dynasty. A painted brick featuring a reclining Buddha figure placed within a rectangular recess. Buddha, who supports his head with one arm, while the other is placed on his side, wears a red and dark pink robe with green details; his neat hair with a partly damaged ushnisha (the knot of hair on the top of the head) are picked out in black, his eyes are closed, and his lips are accented in red. The reclining Buddha scene is important within ancient Buddhism, as it symbolises the Buddha's final illness before passing into Nirvana (ultimate spiritual enlightenment). The Northern Wei dynasty, to which this terracotta brick dates, ruled northern China from ca. 386 to 534 AD and its most famous achievement was unifying a large empire following a long period of social and political turbulence. The Wei rulers were also great patrons of Buddhism. They fostered Buddhism as a state religion, although the dynasty took particular care to control the religious hierarchy, trying to avoid any church-state conflicts. Craftsmen working under this dynasty were responsible for beautiful works of art, many of which relate to Buddhist religion, as this object exemplifies. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:155mm / W:360mm ; 5kg