Lot 59. A rare blanc-de-chine figure of Damo, 17th century. Estimate £20,000 - 30,000 (€26,000 - 38,000). Unsold. Photo: Bonhams.

Finely moulded standing barefoot on a reed and vase of lotus floating above tempestuous swirling waves, his hands clasped beneath the voluminous folds of his long robes draped from his rounded shoulders, his head flanked by heavy earlobes slightly downcast with an intense expression highlighted by his fiercely curling eyebrows, moustache and beard, all covered in a creamy white glaze. 35.5cm (14in) high 

Provenance: Captain J. Meuldijk 

Notes: Often depicted standing barefoot on a reed leaf, recalling his crossing of the Yangzi River to evade his pursuers, Damo was an Indian monk credited with the transmission of Chan Buddhism in China. 

Compare with a related blanc-de-chine figure of Damo, dated 1650-1700, illustrated by P.J.Donnelly, Blanc De Chine, New York, 1969, pl.87a. The graceful modelling of the figure and exquisite attention paid to detail, such as the folding of the drapery and the curling of the crashing waves, carefully rendered amidst blossoming lotus, is related to the sculptural style of the venerated Ming dynasty potter, He Chaozong. A Damo figure by He Chaozong is illustrated inZhongguo meishu quanji, gongyi meishu bian 3: Taoci, Shanghai, 1993, no.142. Another example, in the Wang Xin Lou Collection, is illustrated in China Institute Gallery, Divine Images in Porcelain, New York, 2002, no.27.

Compare with a similar standing figure of Damo which was sold at Christie's New York, 26 November 2014, lot 3120.

Bonhams. AUCTION 23237: FINE CHINESE ART, LONDON, NEW BOND STREET