Transmission of the Dharma by the Tathagata

CHINA; Qing dynasty

The transmission of the Dharma by the Tathagata refers to the Buddha passing on his teachings to his disciples.
This seal is composed of seven compacted characters that are separated into two columns; three characters appear on the left and four characters on the right. Imitating Han style in layout, the characters are composed in sinuous seal script. The skillful engraving of the piece is reminiscent of Zhejiang school seals, and the vivid and natural strokes confer an air of elegance to the piece.
The son of the well-known artist, Liu Yunquan, Liu Maogong was also known as Zhuoren or Zhuxu. He was a Qing dynasty (1644–1911) artist from Suzhou, Jiangsu who inherited his father’s artistic talents and possessed exceptional skills in both landscape painting and seal engraving.