Manual Ref* | NFklSA003 Show 6 images | 541 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Title* |
The Chinese Joss ('John Chinaman') |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
County | Norfolk | District Council | King's Lynn | |||||||||||||||||||||
Civil Parish or equivalent | Sandringham | Town/Village* | Sandringham | |||||||||||||||||||||
Road | Sandringham Road | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Precise Location | Gardens of Sandringham House | |||||||||||||||||||||||
OS Grid Ref | TF695290 | Postcode | PE35 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Previous location(s) | Peking | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Setting | At the end of a tree-lined walk in sight of the House. The wooden pagoda that used to cover the Buddha is now gone | Access | Private | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commissioned by |
Unknown (acquired for the Prince of Wales by Admiral Sir Henry Keppel who purchased the figure in 1869) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Design & Constrn period |
1689-90 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of installing |
1870 |
Exact date of unveiling |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Category |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Object Type |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Subject Type |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Subject Sub Type |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Work is |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Owner/Custodian |
Sandringham Estate | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Listing status |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Surface Condition |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Structural Condition |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Vandalism |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Overall condition |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Risk |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Signatures/Marks | Rear inscription in mandarin, trans.: Cast by the Buddhist Priests Yen-Ling-Yin and Ling-Sun in the presence of many others | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Inscriptions | Front inscription in mandarin, trans.: Respectfully made in the fortunate dawn of this mid winter month in the cyclical year of the Reign of Emperor Kang He | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Description (physical) |
Extraordinarily fine bronze, with expressive detail in the cushion, the ribbon of the seated Buddha's coronet and the rendering of the fingers and toes. The Maitreya Bodhisattva wears a five-pointed coronet and holds prayer beads. The cushion on which he sits is decorated with young children playing within a stylised plant. The sculpture is mounted on a granite plinth carved in oriental style raised on a stepped base and is flanked by two chinese lions | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Description (iconographical) |
The sculpture would probably have been cast for the entrance hall of a temple and represents in all likelihood The chaplet of beads and left hand gesture indicate that he is praying. The right foot placed on the ground suggests that he is Maitreya Bodhisattva, a future ruler to enter the world when Buddhism ends, his future arrival suggested by his grounded foot suggesting. The motif of the playing children has its roots Roman sarcophagi, where they play happily among vines. Here they illustrate the prosperity of the Bodhisattva's reign. The lions are guardian lions (a.k.a. Fu Dogs). The choice of subject would have been extremely suitable for the Prince of Wales, the future King of England, if Sir Henry Keppel, commander-in-chief of the China station, had been aware of it when he purchased it for Sandringham. It was laid out in the gardens before work had begun on the house. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Photographs |
Date taken:
30/5/2007
Date logged: 4/6/2007 |
Photographed by: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
On Site Inspection |
Date: 30/5/2007 |
Inspected by: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Sources and References |
Private communication with the Estate's Public Enterprises Secretary 7-Jun-07 / HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and G. Pattinson et al. (1996) Sandringham: The Norfolk Retreat of the Queen, English Life Publications / www.buddhanet.net accessed 8-Jun-07 / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya accessed 8-Jun-07 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Database |
Date entered: 8/6/2007 |
Data inputter: |