Object Details
Catalogue Note
A substantial Chinese bronze Budai, popularly known as the Laughing Buddha, with a deep layered patina and traces associated with an earlier gilt surface. The casting has a markedly older visual character than modern decorative Budai figures.
Budai in Chinese tradition
Budai is the cheerful monk linked with abundance, generosity and contentment in Chinese popular Buddhism. Here the familiar subject is treated with weight and age, shifting the emphasis from novelty to historic devotional sculpture.
Object details
- Subject: Budai / Laughing Buddha
- Origin: China
- Estimated period: Possibly early Qing or earlier
- Style: Early Qing or earlier tradition
- Material: Bronze
The dating remains an attribution based on the earlier catalogue record and the object's stylistic and surface characteristics, rather than an absolute manufacture date.
Iconography and Context
Budai is the jovial Chinese monk associated with generosity, contentment and good fortune. His relaxed body, broad smile and informal presence distinguish him from formal images of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Condition and Display
Surviving gilding, darker recessed areas and wear on raised details create a layered surface. The 8 photographs document the remaining finish, patina, casting and base from multiple viewpoints.
