East Asia, China, Northern Wei Dynasty, ca. 386 to 535 CE. A graceful sandstone carving of the Dipankara Buddha, featuring exaggeratedly large facial features on a slender face: huge, almond-shaped eyes underneath a shallow but defined brow with thick eyebrows; an elegant, thin nose that broadens at the nostrils, and a large-lipped mouth curved upward into a wide smile. Small ears and a head of tightly curled hair complete the head. The Dipankara Buddha is one of the "Buddhas of the past", with his name literally meaning "Lamp Bearer." This head would have been attached to a larger sculpture, and the figure would have been displayed with others - probably bodhisattvas, as this Buddha is rarely portrayed alone. It would have stood in a cave or temple. The remains of white pigment are visible on the face. Size: 8.5" W x 9.75" H (21.6 cm x 24.8 cm); 13.85" H (35.2 cm) on included custom stand.The Wei Dynasty represents the beginning of Buddhist influence on Chinese art. This sculpture was made in a region of China that had a great deal of contact with the outside world and was ruled by foreign monarchs. Buddhist figures are portrayed as graceful and thin, draped in the robes of scholars. This elegant carving exemplifies that style. Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Micklautz collection, Hawaii, USA, collected from 1940 to 1998 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping. #151852