One of these figures is seated cross-legged in dhyana mudra (a pose during meditation), with biscuit head, and yellow robes with aubergine facing. The other is also seated, his left foot tucked under his right thigh, wearing dark purple flowing robes with turquoise facing. The tall rockwork bases are covered in turquoise glazes splashed in blue. Each figure has a long incised inscription translated as “Made by Qiao Shizan on the auspicious day of the first month of winter in the cyclical year ding zhou, the fifth year of the Wanli period, donated by four members of the Guo family”.

Three other figures from the set, probably originally of sixteen, are known. Two from the collection of D.M.S. Longworthy were sold at Sotheby’s, London,  on 28 July 1964, lot 46, and made by Luo Huangyi and others. One was sold at Christie’s, New York, on 23 March 1995, lot 354A.

Major Duberly writes that these figures were formerly in the Collection of the Marquess of Ripon and sold at his death. He also writes “A Bodhisattva is one whose essence has become intelligence: a being who in some future birth  as a man (not necessarily or usually Buddhas who have not yet attained to Parinirvana (the condition of mind when the Buddha has done with all life of sense and society, and has no more exercise of thought). The witness or earth touching attitude refers to the episode under the tree of wisdom, when Sakyamuni called the earth as his witness in his temptation by Mara”.

Literature: Anthony du Boulay, The Duberly Collection of Chinese Art at Winchester College (Winchester, 2019), p.83; Sheila Riddell, Dated Chinese Antiquities (London, 1979), p. 124

Provenance: Bequeathed as part of the Duberly Collection, 1978; purchased by Major Montagu and Lady Eileen Duberly from John Sparks, 4 August 1953 (with yellow robes) and 10 September 1953 (with purple robes), (£70); formerly in the collection of R.G. Moller, sold Sotheby’s, London, 28 July 1953

Location: Treasury, Gallery 2 (one of the pair)