East Asia, Japan, Meiji Period, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A lacquered wood and gold washed zushi shrine portraying the Amida Buddha atop a lotus on a tiered pedestal. He stands barefoot with ankle length robes and right hand raised in the abhayamudra - a gesture of fearlessness- while his left hand points downward, extending the middle and index fingers and pressing the tips of the ring and little finger against the thumb in the prana mudra - gesture of life force. He is enveloped in black lacquer and gold wash, framed by the front pillars and the petaloid aureole behind. Buddhist statues in Japan frequently reside in zushi wooden shrines with doors that can both reveal or conceal the deity within. Some scholars trace this Japanese interpretation of a Buddhist practice to Shinto shrines, where it is rare to find a statue, and they are always concealed. Size (open shrine): 9" L x 3" W x 12.5" H (22.9 cm x 7.6 cm x 31.8 cm)At the start of the Meiji Period (1868), the Japanese government declared that Buddhism must be separated from Shinto, the official state religion. Initially, enforcement of the separation was strict, and Buddhist images were stricken from many Shinto shrines. Within a few years, however, enforcement stopped, and Buddhist imagery crept back into Japanese religious art. A shrine like this one, depicting a Bodhisattva, was created during this time period. Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection 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. #173070