Page 135 - Sotheby's Important Chinese Art, Sept. 21-22, 2-21, NYC

61
PROPERTY OF A NEW YORK PRIVATE COLLECTOR 清乾隆 青白玉雕佛坐像連碧玉蓮座
A VERY RARE PALE CELADON JADE FIGURE OF
BUDDHA AND SPINACH-GREEN JADE STAND 來源：
K. Watanabe 收藏
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD Parke-Bernet Galleries，紐約，1947年10月22至23日，
finely carved seated in dhyanasana with hands held in 編號247
dhyana mudra, wearing a long robe falling in gentle folds Abraham Block 醫生 (1903-1980) 收藏，此後家族傳承
over the arms and legs and open at the chest to reveal
the dhoti tied beneath, the face directed forward with a
serene expression and lowered eyelids, framed by a pair of
pendulous earlobes and tightly curled hair, the top of the
ushnisha with a smooth surface, the stone a whitish-celadon
color contrasting with the emerald hue of the lotus base with
a flame-shaped mandorla, the mandorla exquisitely carved
with the ‘eight auspicious emblems’ amongst lotus scrolls all
in high relief (2)
Height of Buddha: 7¼ in., 18.5 cm
Height of stand: 10¾ in., 27.3 cm
PROVENANCE
Collection of K. Watanabe.
Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 22nd-23rd October 1947,
lot 247.
Collection of Dr. Abraham Block (1903-1980), and thence by
descent.

$ 80,000-120,000

This jade Buddha was skillfully carved during the Qianlong Dr. Abraham Block (1903-1980) was a respected physician
reign (1736-95), when lapidary craftsmanship was at its apex in Queens, New York for over 50 years. He had a private
and an abundance of the stone was available. A figure of practice, seeing patients in his office and on house calls,
such fine quality might have been worshipped by an affluent and was admired by his patients and colleagues alike. His
family at a home altar. Devotional images of this type feature parents had immigrated to the U.S. from Russia, and despite
peaceful visages to bring attention to the enlightened state their limited resources, they realized the importance of
of the subject, in order to guide the spiritual practice of the proper education and insisted on putting all four children
supplicant. through school. Dr. Block graduated from New York
Compare two pale celadon jade figures of the Qing dynasty, University’s Grossman School of Medicine before completing
both preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing: a slightly an internship at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. Outside
larger one with a copper base and mandorla (acc. no. 故 of his medical practice, he was an avid collector of Chinese
89509), illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the art and would frequent Park Bernet to buy jade carvings.
Palace Museum: Jade, vol. 8: Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, At home, he enjoyed sitting next to the curio cabinet filled
pl. 236; and a smaller one, carved with a face very similar with his collection while reading medical journals, a pastime
to that of the present piece, but with jeweled chains at the which satisfied both his academic and intellectual passions.
chest and lacking a base and mandorla, illustrated in ibid.,
pl. 238. See also a white jade figure of the Qianlong period,
carved with a base and mandorla from one single boulder
and lacking the decoration of the Buddhist emblems, sold in
our Hong Kong rooms, 26th October 2003, lot 30.

130 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10748