SET OF HILIGHT IMPORTANT AND IMPERIAL SEVENTEEN PAGES BUDDA'S SILK EMBROIDERY ALBUM LEAVESH:33.3CM W:26CM ;SILK:H:25CM W:21CM The silk threads in tones of fine black, grey, and cream on a honey-coloured silk ground, album leaves are exquisitely embroidered in a satin stitch technique using hair-like filaments of silk floss, depicts Arahant's self-cultivation and crave for a scene of becoming a Budda. The Arahant, translated into Chinese as Lohan, is one who has followed the Eightfold Path and has achieved deliverance of this earthly existence. He has reached "the other shore" and is saved for all eternity. In him the asavas - the craving for sensual pleasures, earthly existence, ignorance and wrong views - are gone. He is subject to no more rebirths and karma. Embroidered Artworks highly similar to this one in the painting subjects and stitching technique can be found in Taipei National Palace Museum, no 000076-silk-Gu, catalogued in the publication of "Tapestry and Embroidery of the National Palace Museum, Showa 45th Academy ", textile ground considered as "Ling" school, impressing a very rich and vivid color, marked by royal seal. The textile and artwork herein is "Juan" school which delivers more implied elegance, dated before the piece at National Palace Museum. Another collection comparable to this one is ‘Sixteen Yinzhen Album Leaves’ dated Late Ming in the Palace Museum of Beijing, catalogued in the publication of ‘Embroidered Silk Painting : the Precious Collection of the Palace Museum’, Photos 2.6, Hong Kong Business Publications 2005. Reference to Past auction lot #1159 sold at 367,500HKD By Christie's Hong Kong. Provenance: The collection of William B. Gruber, thus by descent through the family.