Producer unknown to us
Buddha statue
Asia, Japan
Prior to 1908
Wood
Hugo Meyl (Merchant of east Asian art)
Donation to the museum by Meyer in 1908
OAs 03257 a-c
Hans Meyer was one of the most important patrons of the Leipzig Museum of Ethnology during the first third of the 20th century. Not only did he leave the museum a large part of the ethnographica acquired on his research trips, but he also repeatedly arranged and financed important purchases from art dealers or private collectors.
One of the most important acquisitions of this kind was undoubtedly a collection of 13 Buddhist sculptures from Japan, which he purchased for the museum from the art dealer Hugo Meyl in 1908. Under what circumstances Meyl acquired the sculptures is unknown to us and must be the subject of further research.
The sculpture exhibited here shows the Buddha Amitabha (Japanese: Amida) in a meditative pose. In Amitabha Buddhism, he is an embodiment of absolute wisdom, and he rules the so-called 'pure land', one of the preliminary stages of Nirvana. Here he transfers those believers who steadfastly trust in him at the hour of their death.
Dietmar Grundmann