A carved sandstone architectural panel comprising an aureole with flying deva figures to the upper edge, central standing robed Buddha with hands raised in the gesture of reassurance; flanked by two smaller bodhisattva figures in similar pose; mounted on an orb attached to a rectangular base with (later?) inscription to the reverse reading "Made by Xing Changzhen in memory of his two sisters deceased, Eastern Wei Dynasty, (April 22nd 536)".

PROVENANCE:
Acquired for the ‘Buckingham Collection’ by the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert; the collection formed from the early 1960s to early 1970s; much of the collection was displayed at the major exhibition ‘The Buddha Image: Out of Uddiyana’, Tibet House, 22 West 15th Street, New York, 16 September-20 October 2010, extended to 16 November and again to 7 January 2011; where the collection of one hundred pieces was publicly valued at US$ 15M; this piece was scheduled to be included in an exhibition entitled ‘On the Silk Route; Birth of The Buddha’, to be held in London from November 2012, but sadly his death prevented this; accompanied by copies of several press releases and articles for the exhibition, including Artnet News, This Week in New York, Huffpost, Buddhist Art News, and a scholarly note TL 5284 by Dr Ronald Bonewitz; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.163523-10080.