with gesso and lacquer, this prominent wood statue depicts Maudgalyayana (Mulian in Chinese), one of Buddha’s two closest disciples. Provenance: From a French private estate. By repute, kept in the same family for half a century. An export certificate from the French Ministry of Culture is accompanying this lot.Condition: The right hand is lost. Natural age cracks, wear and weathering. The lacquer and the remainders of gesso are in absolutely original, untouched preservation. Overall superb condition, especially given the age of this statue. Weight: 29 kilograms.Dimensions: Height 100 cm.Seated atop a rock, in royal ease with his left hand resting on his raised leg, his head slightly inclined towards the beholder, a slightly blueish skin tone and a truly spiritual facial expression.Maudgalyayana is considered, together with Sariputra, one of Buddha's two foremost male disciples. Traditional accounts relate that Maudgalyayana and Sariputra became spiritual wanderers in their youth. After having searched for spiritual truth for a while, they eventually met Buddha himself and ordain as monks under his guidance. Maudgalyayana attains enlightenment shortly after that. In Buddhist art, Maudgalyayana’s face is often depicted with a darker, slightly blueish skin tone, exactly as in the present example. Compare with another wood and gesso statue of Maudgalyayana, dating to the Yuan Dynasty, at Sotheby’s New York in ‘Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art’ on September 17th, 2013, lot 54.Compare with a Ming dynasty wood and gesso group of Arhats in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Accession Number: 1995.417.明代木雕石膏目蓮像中國,明代(1368-1644)。 雕刻精美,以石膏和漆彩提亮,更加突出展現了釋迦牟尼重要弟子目蓮。來源:法國私人收藏,據説在同一個家族中收藏近半個世紀。隨附法國文化部出口證書。品相:右手丟失。天然年代裂縫、磨損和風化。剩餘的漆彩與石膏完全是原狀,未經改變。整體品相相對其歷史算是非常好的。重量:29 公斤尺寸:高100 厘米