Page 132 - Christie's Hong Kong Important Chinese Works Of Art May 30 2022

hold a vajra and a ghanta, share similar names, and are stylistically
and visually akin, the differing positions of the arms indicate that the
present Buddha Vajradhara and the Rietberg Museum Bodhisattva
Vajrasattva represent different deities with very different powers and
meanings and thus must be distinguished one from the other.

The present example is identical in style to a Yongle-marked,
gilt-bronze sculpture representing Manjushri in the Metropolitan
Museum, New York (2001.59). Although the deities represented differ,
the earrings and other jewelry, the figures’ backs, and the Nepalese-
style bases are virtually identical. A stylistically related, Yongle-
marked sculpture representing the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara sold at
Christie’s, New York, on 20 March 2014 (lot 1622)(fig. 1), and another
is in the collection of the Museum Rietberg, Zurich. A stylistically
kindred Yongle-marked sculpture representing the Seated Bodhisattva
Tara in her “Green Manifestation” is in the collection of the Harvard
Art Museums (1992.289).

In excellent condition, this impressive gilt-bronze sculpture is one of
only five known, Yongle-marked sculptures of Vajradhara; of those
five, this is the only one outside of Tibet, making it exceptionally rare.
Made in the imperial workshops in Beijing, this sculpture incorporates
the finest casting and gilding of the day. With its dazzling jewels, its
abundant and meticulously rendered details, and the rich color of its
fig. 1 Sold at Christie’s New York, 20 March 2014, lot 1622 gold, this sculpture perfectly embodies the refinement of the Yongle
圖一 紐約佳士得，2014年3月20日，拍品1622號 era; in fact, it is a masterwork of Chinese Buddhist sculpture.

紐約大都會藝術博物館另有一件（1975.1.1442）些許類似的藏品：金剛總持以瑜珈禪坐的姿式與其明妃般若佛母結合雙
修的造像。雖然此尊可能出於西藏，從其永樂風格推斷應出自十五世紀初的中原。因藏漢與漢藏造像在風格和整體外
觀相似，在缺少御款或其他銘刻的情況下，很難判定出產此類作品的文化。雙修通常視為智慧和慈悲的原始（或密教）
結合。在佛教中，男性形式為動，代表為了達到開悟而必須修成的慈悲和方便智；女性形式為靜，代表同樣也是開悟必
需的般若智慧。兩尊合而為一，象徵看破主客體虛假二元性的無明面紗所需的結合。

蘇黎世里特貝格博物館有一尊風格與本件相關的永樂款銅鎏金金剛薩埵（Inv.-Nr. BA 22），雙手同樣持金剛杵與金
剛鈴；但不同於本件在胸前交叉，這尊金剛薩埵右手在胸前握金剛杵，左手於腰部持金剛鈴，手臂微向前伸。在金剛
乘佛教中，金剛薩埵被視為普賢菩薩的密教化身。雖然這兩尊名號相近，皆為永樂年間且風格、外觀相似的作品，但
手臂的不同位置表示，本件金剛總持與里特貝格博物館的金剛薩埵為不同的尊神，具有非常不同的法力和意義，應當
分別看待。

本件與紐約大都會博物館的一尊永樂款銅鎏金敏捷文殊菩薩像（2001.59）風格一致。雖為兩不同之尊神，但耳環、
珠寶、背部尼泊爾式底座幾乎相同。一尊風格相仿的永樂款觀世音菩薩像於2014年3月20日由紐約佳士得拍出（拍品
編號1622）(圖一)，另一尊則藏於蘇黎世里特貝格博物館。麻州劍橋市哈佛大學藝術博物館收有一尊風格類似的永樂款
綠度母坐像（1992.289）。

本件銅鎏金造像巧奪天工、保存完好，為已知的五尊永樂金剛總持像之一，也是在西藏以外的唯一一尊，極其珍稀。
這尊佛像由北京御作坊所製，融合了當時最頂尖的鑄造和鍍金工法，並以璀璨的珠寶、豐富細緻的細節、華麗的鍍金，
完美體現了永樂工藝的巔峰造極，是漢傳佛像的傑作。

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