Altar with Buddha; China, 18th century. Embossed bronze. Attached to a base of a later period. Measurements; 14,5 x 10,5 x 4 cm. Sculpture made in gilded bronze representing the figure of Buddha, inscribed on an ornate altar, in the form of a pointed arch. The back of the piece is unworked, so that it would have been conceived as a decorative applique, probably as ornamentation of a larger ensemble. Buddha reached the highest evolutionary perfection, turning suffering into happiness for all living beings. Born around 560 BC, his father was a raja who ruled the north-eastern province of India. At the age of 29, the young prince gave up his life of luxury, as he felt compelled to purify his body and turn it into an instrument of the mind by ridding it of earthly temptations. Here his head is crowned with a headdress depicting the Buddha, representing infinite wisdom. The elegance and spirituality of Buddha's form is well conceived in this representation.