### **An emaciated Siddhartha figure in lacquered iron**


**Yuan/early Ming dynasty, 14th century, China**

**Height: 17 cm, 6 3/4 inches; Width: 9.5 cm, 2 3/4 inches**

The emaciated Siddhartha is seated in meditation with his left leg crossed, and the other raised to support his bony arms. The solemn face is modelled in the conventional Yuan Dynasty style with a large urna above downcast eyes, raised eyebrows and moustache carved with incised lines, and thin torso with visible rib cage wrapped in a red dhoti, tied with a string below the waist.

Prince Siddhartha went through six years of austerity prior to achieving enlightenment. The representation of Siddhartha as an ascetic originated in the Gandhara period during 1st - 3rd century AD.

**Similar Examples**

A very similar bronze model inlaid with silver was sold at 'Water, Pine and Stone Retreat' Sotheby's HK on 8TH April 2014, see lot 224\\. Please click [**_here_**](http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/water-pine-stone-retreat-collection-later-bronzes-hk0539/lot.224.html) for more information.

A bronze figure of ascetic from the Ming period is published in 'Chinese Buddhist Bronzes', by Hugo Munsterberg, Charles E. Tuttle Company 1967, pl. 122\\. Please click [**_here_**](http://www.ajspeelman.com/Catalogues/asceticfigureyuan/index.html) for more information.