Carving of Shakymuni Buddha as an ascetic

Object Details

• Provenance

  From at least 1957 to 1968

  Desmond Gure (1905-1970), London, from at least November 1957 [1]

  From 1968 to 1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York, purchased from Desmond Gure on January 10, 1968 [2]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, gift of Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] Gure lent the object to an exhibition organized by the Oriental Ceramic Society under the title “The Arts of the Ming Dynasty” in London at the Arts Council Gallery from November 15 to December 14, 1957, see Transactions of the Oriental Ceramics Society 1955-56 1956-57, vol.30 (1958), p. 79, no. 350, pl. 95.

  See also an undated typed inventory of Desmond Gure’s collection, “List 1 – Objects Not Exhibited at Stockholm 1963,” no. 94: “A pale green jade figure of Buddha, seated with his hands in the meditation mudra – 6 ¼ in. high – Ming dynasty - stand,” copy in object file.

  [2] According to information provided by Arthur M. Sackler Foundation in October 2009, Arthur M. Sackler purchased the jade as part of Desmond Gure’s jade collection on January 10, 1968.

  See “Arthur M. Sackler Gift: Chinese Jades: Summary,” where the object is listed under Sackler Collection no. J-1306 and identified as S1987.723.

  [3] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

  Pavilions and Immortal Mountains: Chinese Decorative Art and Paintings (September 28, 1987 to February 28, 1988)

  Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages (May 1 to June 22, 1975)

  The Arts of the Ming Dynasty (November to December, 1956)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Desmond Gure (1905-1970)

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Sculpture

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1600s, 1790s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., buddha, Gure, Desmond

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Abhaya mudra, Jade, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Ascetic

• Culture

  Buddhists, Chinese

• Object Type

  Sculpture