East Asia, China, Tang Dynasty, T'ien Lung Shan type, ca. 8th century CE. An elegant and attractive sculpture, of a sizable form carved from pale-grey sandstone, depicting the Buddha seated in a lotus pose atop a wide, multi-petaled lotus flower base with a hollow center core along the underside. He wears a flowing robe with finely delineated pleats, holds his one remaining arm and hand atop his knee, and sits with a rigid, upright posture. A small perforation atop the neck is where the separately carved head would have been inserted, and three additional mortises along the verso indicate how this figure would have been attached to larger sculptural scenes. Faint traces of green, white, and red pigment are visible in some areas. Size: 15.25" W x 16.3" H (38.7 cm x 41.4 cm).

The introduction of Buddhism in China accounted for some of the most impressive examples of religious sculpture throughout the globe. T'ien lung Shan is a site located in the central Shanxi province of China where there is a group of Buddhist cave temples that date to the mid-6th century. The sculptures that were created for these temples were often sensual and expertly modeled like this example - quite characteristic of the Tang period - and the style featured a Chinese approach to the Buddha form that developed during the Gupta period (320 to 647) in India.

A T'ien Lung Shan type Bodhisattva (though more complete) sold for $1,183,500 at Christie's, New York "Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art" auction (sale 1211, March 26, 2003, lot 148)

Provenance: East Coast, USA collection from a major New York art gallery, before 2011

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#140284

Original head and additional ornamentation on verso missing as shown. Loss to left arm, minor nicks and abrasions to legs, base, body, and arm, with chipping and fading to original pigmentation, and light encrustations. Nice earthen deposits throughout as well as faint remains of original pigmentation in scattered areas.