Statuette of Master Huineng

CHINA

Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Chan school, is shown seated in meditation on a stone platform. He has a high forehead, thick eyebrows, long earlobes, downward cast eyes, a gentle smile, and a strong chin. Appearing tranquil and humored, he wears a white robe with a crossover collar, and sits with fingertips touching and legs crossed.
The potter uses two clay colors in contrasting tones: brown for the body, and white for the robe. The latter appears to flow as it falls down the body, over the arms, and then over the platform, where it hangs in a series of folds. The artist has managed to produce a lifelike image of Huineng sitting quietly in meditation; however, at the same time the image has a certain dynamic quality created by the flowing robes.