Fire-gilded bronze. China, presumably late Qing, 19th cent.
Rare, large, completely fire-gilded bronze sculpture of Budai Fo, who is very popular in China. In the West, he is affectionately called the "Fat Belly Buddha", in China revered as a Buddha and in Buddhism as incarnation of the Buddha of the Future Maitreya (Chines. Milo Fo), thus his great popularity. This bronze presents him laughing joyfully with his protruding belly as symbol of timeless-eternal serenity. Budai sits with one leg bent, the other horizontal, both hands placed on the knees. Spirited floral design on the robe borders. A curved-up edge on one area. On bottom, a base plate with ying-yang symbol with lotus leaf edge.
Note: Historically in the early 10th cent., Budai was a wandering monk and fortune teller. He is the most popular god of luck in Eastern Asia, as well as in Japan, where he is known as Hotei.
青銅合金造布袋尊座像. 中國, 約清代晚期, 19 世紀. 高 37 厘米, 寬 39厘米. 義大利舊藏.
HEIGHT 37 CM, WIDTH 39 CM
From a German private collection