Buddha Amitayus Qianlong, China

Gilt bronze figure of Amitayus Buddha, China, Qianlong period, late 18th century Seated in dhyana sana on a rectangular throne, hands in dhyana mudra, dressed in a simple robe, adorned with jewels and enhanced with a separately cast double flamboyant mandorla. The base incised with a nine-character Qianlong mark with the cyclical year of Gengyin: "Da Qing gengyin nian zhizao" ("Respectfully made the Gengyin year during the Qianlong period of the Great Qing Dynasty, corresponding to 1770) Amitayus was one of the most popular deities in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon of the Qing Dynasty, particularly during the Qianlong period (qián lóng) which is the reign name of the Hongli Emperor and is not a proper name but rather a reign motto meaning "Heavenly Abundance", he was one of the most educated emperors in Chinese history. Amitayus figures are symbols of longevity, a number of them, in gilt bronze and porcelain, were commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor on the occasion of the 60th and 70th birthdays of the Empress Dowager Chongqing. The date of the present figure coincided with the 70th birthday of the Empress Dowager. An identical figure of the same date is illustrated in von Schroeder, Bronzes Indo-Tibetan , pg. 158B, where the author indicates that by using reusable molds, a number of these images were produced. This explains why identical images of Amitayus are inscribed with different dates. Kalasha missing. H 20.5 cm Provenance: Estate of the collector Claude de Marteau. Sold with certificate of provenance. Visible by appointment, not exhibited. See this Buddha Amitayus in full screen mode on Vintage Addict