Statue

Gilt-bronze statuette of Maitreya. The statue is in typical Eastern Wei style, standing with flowing robes and hands adopting the gestures (mudrās) 'fear-not' and 'charity offering'. A fiery aureole with a lotus halo is attached at the back of the figure with a pair of pins. The figure stands on a domed lotus, above a four-legged square base. On two sides of the base is an incised inscription recording the date (equivalent to April 9th, 536 CE) and location of manufacture (in Dingzhou 定州, in modern Henan), together with a list of subscribers.

The item was once in the collection of the late Qing statesman Duanfang 端方.