Page 59 - Ming Porcelain Sothebys march 2018

his outstanding " gure of the bodhisattva Manjushri, the ‘Beautiful and
͉య˖ࣿ྅dՊඩйᇘdˉʂၚ̷dᛟʈၚߕd Virtuous Lord’, represents a group of Buddhist " gures made on the
୚ᇘɝฆd˾ڌ׼ڋɓᗳաᔛࠬᅂᚤʘ੿Ⴁ T orders of the Imperial Court in China during the " rst half of the 15th
Н྅fUlrich von Schroeder ಀা༱̬ɤʞ century that displayed a style in! uenced by the art of Tibet. According to
య͑ᆀϋ݄ி྅ϗᔛ׵Гᔛυ৫dԈIndo Ulrich von Schroeder in Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, " fty-four
Tibetan Bronzes‘d1981ϋd຅ʕɽ௅ʱତ
Da Ming Yongle nian shi works have been documented in Tibetan monastery
π̺༺זࢗ€፽Buddhist Sculptures in
collections, most of which are held in Potala Palace, Tibet (see Ulrich von
Tibet‘d࠰ಥd2001ϋd՜2dࠫ1237 91f͑
Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Hong Kong, 2001, vol. II, pp 1237-
ᆀެ܎ίЗʘࣛdಃҒ࿁Гᔛ݁ࠅʿυ৫ࢸ༾
Ϟ̋dɽሮ਷ᓿdԴϤᗳޜۜෂɝГᔛԨ੻˸ 91). These works have survived in Tibet due to imperial patronage lavished on
ഛπfֵ͉ۜࢭᇳᖙ୚ڗ࣎נdසԈ׵ʃˉʂ Tibetan hierarchs and monasteries during the reign of the Yongle Emperor.
͑ᆀಛி྅d̻ѩ৷ܓεߒމ18Ї22ʮʱf The slim elongated lotus petals on the base of this piece are only seen on
smaller Yongle works which average eighteen to twenty-two centimeters
͉˖ࣿ྅ɪԒฆහdᘒུݴ࿫ᐿᘆdᙗ್߰ਗd
จ࿒ᖋᛈdˀ݈׼ڋࢗҒᄲߕۜЗfᝈՉ୚໐ in height. Thus this group of " gures are characterized by their delicate
ᄱٲd׼ᜑաΙܓ̵ࠬࣸغဧʈᖵෂ୕ᅂᚤd appearance, emphasized by the intimate size and exquisitely " nished details.
ϤࠬࣸίʩಃࣛෂɝʕࡡdɗᔛෂН઺ᖵஔࠬ Particularly " ne for the gentle sway of the torso, which compliments the
ࣸʘᏺᔩiᔛɛෂ୕ఃमЕᘒུd͉྅Ս೥͵
ԒུमᒠdശబᐿⰗf್ᔛНி྅εЪలᘒd curves of the adornments to create a sense of movement, this " gure re! ects
ϾϤᗳ྅ۆʔ̋లུd˸Ꮠ׼Ғᄲߕi̤ԈՉ the Chinese taste of the early-Ming court. The well-de" ned waist and broad
ᛟՍၚ୚І್dৎͿݴ࿫d͵މʕ਷Н྅तЍf shoulders exemplify Indo-Nepalese traditions that were introduced into
China during the Yuan dynasty and served as the foundation of the Sino-
˖ࣿമᔜdจᙇѶᅃeѶ࠯eѶΛୂdြ౽ᜳ
Tibetan style. Additionally, the craftsman has expertly fused the Tibetan love
ഛd੬ၾ౷ሬമᔜԨΐdאމᙑࠒνԸՇɽҔ
of ornamentation, seen in the luxurious jewelery, with the delicacy of detail,
ɿdԲН̸̛f˖ࣿമᔜ֢ʞၽʆdഛႭجࠅd
masterful casting, and the naturalism in style of China. Notably, while Tibetan
කኬ଺͛dኽෂɗւᙑࠒνԸʘնdᄿબНجd
ʞၽʆΪϾ࠰˦ཻସf " gures were often embellished with inlaid semi-precious stones, these have
been omitted in accordance with the aesthetic of the early Ming court.
Manjushri is the bodhisattva associated with the wisdom of Buddha and is
commonly paired with Samantabhadra, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The
two bodhisattvas are important acolytes of Shakyamuni and are believed
to have been historical " gures, possibly disciples of the Buddha. Manjushri
resides in the Five Peak Mountain, Wutaishan, and is on earth to save people
from ignorance. It is believed that Manjushri was instructed by Shakyamuni to
transmit his teachings and his residence, Wutaishan, became one of the major
centers of pilgrimage for his followers.