Infinite Life Buddha

CHINA; Qing dynasty

Amitabha Buddha, whose name encompasses both infinite life and infinite light is known as both the Infinite Life Buddha and the Infinite Light Buddha.
This square seal is comprised of four characters carved in sinuous seal script. Multiple methods of carving were used, allowing lines to be variably smooth at times, and obscure at others, conveying a dynamic expression. In addition, the edges of the seal’s border feature a broken fringe technique that further denotes the creativity of the overall piece. The characters flow with ease, while the baseline is thick and sturdy, allowing the seal to appear stable, balanced, and richly unique.
Zhou Mingjin was also known as Huizhang or Tongzhang. He was an artist from Jiande, Zhejiang during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Diligent in his practice and creation of seals, Zhou was known to often neglect resting or eating; unfortunately, this ultimately led to his poor health and early death at the age of 22. Zhou’s seal style embraced those of both the Anhui and Zhejiang schools. His works exhibited influences that could be traced from the early inscriptions of the Shang (1600–1046 BCE) and Zhou (1046–256 BCE) dynasties to those of the Song dynasty (960–1279), and everything in between.