A Shakyamuni Buddha sells for $30 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong

ART MEDIA AGENCY

Bronze figure of a seated Shakyamuni Buddha, Mark and Period of Yongle

HONG KONG---The “Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art” sale, which took place at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 8 October, saw the sale of a bronze Shakyamuni Buddha dating from the Ming dynasty. The piece sold for $30 million, establishing a new record sale for a Chinese sculpture. The Buddha, from the 15th century Yongle period, was purchased by Chinese collector Zheng Huaxing, a Tibetan Buddhist with a strong interest in Buddhist sculptures. He attended the auction in person, commenting that “I would have paid any price for this sculpture. I am glad that it can finally be returned to its rightful place in China.” The statue, measuring 54.5 cm in height, bears the inscription “Da ming Yongle nianshi (bestowed in the Yongle era of the great Ming)”. [link]