163 - A CARVED LIMESTONE BUDDHIST TRIAD STELE

A CARVED LIMESTONE BUDDHIST TRIAD STELE China, Northern Qi dynasty, dated 564, H 35 cm. The central Buddha seated on a throne in dhyanasana, flanked by two standing bodhisattvas with hands in prayer position (anjalimudra). Set above a square plinth intricately carved on all four sides and the reverse with a lengthy dedicatory inscription, including the date Da Qi Tianbao / Heqing era (564). Chipped and worn, with losses. Provenance: Collection of Dr. David Ho Hangchi 何昌熾 (1911–1986). Dr. David Ho (Ho Hangchi, 1911–1986) was a prominent international lawyer born in Canton. Son of Chiang Kai-shek’s dentist, he studied law in Shanghai, Suzhou, Paris (PhD, 1941), and London (Inner Temple, 1962). He served as a legal officer at the UN Secretariat in New York from 1949 until retiring to Geneva in 1971. An avid collector and researcher of Chinese art, Ho was especially fascinated by inscribed artifacts. Due to new EU import regulations, it may no longer be possible to import this article after 28 June 2025. If you intend to do so, please contact the department before bidding.