Lot 1529. A gilt-bronze figure of Samantabhadra, 17th century; 12½ in. (31.7 cm.) tall. Estimate USD 15,000 - USD 25,000. Price realised USD 40,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

The bodhisattva is seated in lalitsasana on a long blanket incised with floral decoration draped over the back of a recumbent elephant, and his hands held in varada and abhaya mudras hold a lotus stem. His face is well cast with a serene expression enhanced by the curled goatee and mustache, and he wears ornate earrings beneath a narrow crown.

Provenance: Willard D. Straight Collection, acquired before 1914.
The India House Club Collection, New York. 

Note: The present bodhisattva is identified as Samantabhadra, or Puxian Pusa. The deity is known as 'He whose bounty is omnipresent' and represents the Buddhist Law and compassion. Samantabhadra is associated with Manjusri, or Wenshushili Pusa, Bodhisattva of Wisdom. Samantabhadra usually appears alongside Manjusri as the acolytes of Sakyamuni, forming a group known as the 'three venerables of Sakyamuni.'

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, New York, 19 - 20 September 2013