Fragmentary head of Buddha Maitreya, 386 - 534 AD ·  China, Northern Wei, Yungang · ID: 3053538

Description

stone,

The tall, crown-like headdress with a small Buddha figure set before a stylised Bodhi leaf points to an early Chinese Maitreya context, as particularly attested in the Yungang Caves of the Northern Wei period.

For this period, Koh notes points of contact between the cults of Maitreya and Amitābha within early Chinese Pure Land and rebirth beliefs. The motif therefore further supports the identification as Maitreya.

Two closely comparable examples were sold at Christie’s New York on 17 March 2009, lot 348, and at Sotheby’s on 17 September 2018. The pronounced stylistic and iconographic similarities suggest that the works originated from the same workshop environment, possibly even from the same workshop.

Comparing literature

Koh, Hey Ryun, Die Ikonographie der Maitreyafigur mit gekreuzten Füßen und des Tusita-Himmels, Bd. II, Heidelberg 2002, ill. 7 & 33

Notices

This object is subject to the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Export documents are required for export (subjected to a fee).