Amida Nyorai (Amitabha) — Gilt-Lacquered Wooden Seated Buddha, 21 cm | Japanese Devotional Sculpture for Home Altar & Study

A calm, inward-facing Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha) rendered in compact scale yet striking presence—an ideal size for a private altar, shelf shrine, or contemplative study corner. The sculpture presents the serene, symmetrical facial plane associated with Amida: softened eyelids, balanced nose line, and elongated ears that visually “slow” the face, reinforcing the Pure Land promise of peace through steadiness and repetition.

Over the body, the remnants of gilding and lacquered surface read as time-layered devotion rather than simple wear—an object that has likely lived within someone’s daily practice, receiving light, incense, and attention over many years. For collectors, this is part of the deep Japanese tradition of compact devotional sculpture: small enough to live with, yet rich enough to carry a full cosmology.

Object Details

• Deity: Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha)
• Material (observed): carved wood with lacquer/pigment layers; surviving gilt-toned finish
• Size (approx.): 16.5 × 12.3 × 21 cm
• Era (educated range): vintage household devotional sculpture (confirm via seller notes; broad range)

Hand Gesture (best-fit reading)

The raised right hand suggests a reassurance / fear-not gesture variant often associated with protection, calm, and blessing, while the left hand rests low toward the lap in a receiving posture. Because exact finger positions vary by workshop and later touch-ups, treat this as an iconographic family resemblance—confirm with close-up finger detail if you need strict taxonomy.

Why Collect

• Pure Land heart-piece: Amida is among the most universally resonant Buddhas in Japan, and household icons are a direct line into lived religion.
• Display versatility: fits a shelf shrine, cabinet altar, or contemporary interior as a meditative object without needing a full butsudan.
• Patina-as-proof: surface variation reads as years of presence, not a new decorative replica.
• Study value: strong reference piece for learning Buddha proportions, lacquer wear, and small-icon carving conventions.

Collector’s Resonance: For the collector who wants a sacred object that can actually live in the home—quiet, compact, and emotionally stabilizing. Also for the student of Japanese religious culture who prefers authentic devotional “scale” objects over oversized temple replicas.

Confidence & Verification Notes

• Deity ID: high confidence (Amida Nyorai per listing + visual fit)
• Exact mudra taxonomy: medium confidence from photo; confirm with close-up finger detail
• Dating: low-to-medium confidence; treat era as broad vintage range unless documentation appears
• Materials: wood + lacquer + gilt appearance is consistent; confirm upon arrival

Who is this deity?

Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha) is the Buddha of Infinite Light, central to Pure Land Buddhism. In Japan, Amida is associated with compassionate rescue and the promise of rebirth in the Pure Land for those who entrust themselves to the vow. Household Amida icons serve as daily focal points for calm, remembrance, and gratitude—objects meant to be lived with, not only admired.

Explore Further

• Buddhist Statues & Sacred Art Collection
• Why Collect Japanese Buddhist Statues?
• Concierge Logistics & White-Glove Sourcing