This large blanc-de-chine figure represents Amitabha Buddha, depicted standing on a lotus pedestal and holding a closed lotus bud. In Chinese Buddhist tradition Amitabha is viewed as a guide for beings seeking liberation, and the lotus is his key attribute, symbolising purity and spiritual rebirth.
Dehua, in Fujian province, has been a major centre for white porcelain since the Ming period. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries its kilns produced many Buddhist figures in this style, noted for their smooth white glaze and softly modelled forms.
