Page 304 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Chinese Art

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PROPERTY FROM A HONG KONG PRIVATE 明十六世紀 漆金銅藥王觀音菩薩坐像
FAMILY COLLECTION
來源：
A LARGE GILT-LACQUERED 倫敦蘇富比1996年12月17日，編號179
BRONZE FIGURE OF
BHAISAJYARAJA
AVALOKITESHVARA
MING DYNASTY, 16TH CENTURY

cast seated in vajraparyankasana with the left
hand resting on the lap, the right hand raised
to the chest in vitarkamudra, dressed in a long
flowing robe tied at the waist with a ribbon and
hemmed with a band of small seated buddhas,
further embellished with beaded jewellery around
the chest, the face with a benevolent expression
with downcast eyes and a gentle smile, the hair
gathered into a high chignon save for two long
plaits falling off the shoulders, crowned with an
elaborate headdress in openwork centred by
Amitabha Buddha
111.3 cm, 43⅞ in.

PROVENANCE
Sotheby’s London, 17th December 1996, lot 179.

HK$ 600,000-800,000

US$ 77,000-103,000

Impressive for its large size and crisp casting,
seen in the rendering of the draping robes and
jewellery, this figure depicts the bodhisattva
Avalokiteshvara in sinicised form and with
slightly feminine features. While it follows the
stylistic trend of the mid-to late-Ming period, this
figure’s slightly elongated torso and slim face
are unusual. Compare a much smaller figure of
the bodhisattva with a fuller face, in the Palace
Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Classics of the
Forbidden City. Guanyin in the Collection of the
Palace Museum, Beijing, 2012, pl. 33.

As the most popular deity in Chinese
Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara took many different
manifestations. Although now lacking its
attributes, the present piece probably depicts
the manifestation Bhaisajyaraja Avalokiteshvara,
also known as the ‘Willow leaf’ Guanyin. In this
form the bodhisattva would hold a bowl of elixir
in the left hand and a stalk of willow leaves in the
right. The first is believed to cure all physical and
spiritual illness, while the latter has evil-dispelling
properties.

302 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比