Iron head of Buddha, Ming dynasty 16th/17th century

China, Ming dynasty, 16th/17th century
Head of Buddha
Cast iron
25 ½ cm. / 10 inches high (the head), 38 cm. / 15 inches including base

The oval face having sharply defined features and downcast eyes, with a serene meditative expression and a projecting urna on the forehead, expressing wisdom. The well-modelled hair having sharp curls and a prominent ushnisha (topknot), which contains a round inset for inserting precious stones.

This head is a rare depiction of the Buddha in cast iron, a material which becomes more common in Chinese sculpture from the Song dynasty period (A.D. 960-1279); once sculptures were cast they were often covered in gesso, lacquer, paper or paint.

For examples of depictions of the Buddha in iron from the Ming period (A.D. 1368-1644), see a large head in the Metropolitan Museum, New York (acc. 61.94) and the figure of a seated Buddha in the Victorian and Albert Museum, London (museum no. M.317-1921). For an example at auction, see Sotheby’s New York, 22 Nov 2024, lot 109.