A large inscribed bronze figure of a seated luohan - 14th century

The venerable Buddhist disciple depicted cross-legged, with his hands held in front of him at chest level, his emaciated chest exposed beneath a lotus edged robe worn over a long skirt tied at the waist, hiding his legs and cascading in front of him, his weathered face with a gentle smile framed by his characteristic long eyebrows beneath a domical cranium, the back inscribed with a thirteen character dedicatory inscription, some surfaces with traces of lacquer remaining. - 75cm (29½in) high. (2). Estimate: HK$800,000 - 1,000,000, $100,000 - 130,000 - Non adjugé

Note : it is extremely rare to find a 14th century bronze figure of a luohan with such meticulous attention to detail and charismatic expression. The stern aged face forms a powerful contrast with the long and elaborate flowing robes.

The term luohan (arhat in Sanskrit ) means 'worthy' or 'venerable' and refers to the Buddha's original disciples, and by extension, to any holy figure who upheld and defended the Buddhist dharma. Originally four, their numbers increased to sixteen, then eighteen and ultimately to five hundred.

The current sculpture appears to represent the luohan Pindola Bharadvaja, who is depicted in Chinese art as an elderly figure with white hair and long bushy eyebrows, usually shown in seated position. By tradition, he was expelled from India and the monastic community and refused entry into Nirvana until the advent of Maitreya. However, according to M.V. de Wisser, The Arhats in China and Japan', Ostasiatische Zeitschrift X, Leipzig, 1919, n.93, in the Sanskrit commentary Ekottara Agama Sastra, translated into Chinese under the Eastern Han dynasty, Pindola Bharadvaja is referred to as being congratulated by the Buddha and called 'he who is first in stamping out heresy'.

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Bonhams.Fine Chinese Ceramics, Works of Art and Paintings, 26 Nov 2007. JW Marriott Hotel, Admiralty, Hong Kong