Page 53 - Christies IMportant Chinese Art Sept 26 2020 NYC

Stylistically, this large standing figure of Buddha is a fine
representation of Buddha figures of Northern Qi date, and its
dignified, upright stance combined with the simplicity of the robes
that cling to the body show the strong influence of the earlier Gupta
style from Sarnath, India. The small mouth and thin nose, the large,
elongated ears with flat, unpierced lobes, and the whorl-like curls are
also all characteristic of the Northern Qi style.
The present figure shown standing with the right hand raised palm
outward in the preaching gesture, abhaya mudra, which implies "do
not fear," is dressed in the thin, layered robes of a monk. These robes,
each a long, rectangular piece of cloth that is wrapped around or
draped over the body in a prescribed fashion, are known in Sanskrit as
the sanghati, an outer robe that covers both shoulders and the chest,
the uttarasanga, and the antaravasaka, which are the under robes.
The antaravasaka, or dhoti, is the inner robe that covers the lower
body from the waist to just above the ankles. This is worn under the
other inner robe, the uttarasanga, which covers the left shoulder and
crosses the chest diagonally, but leaves the right shoulder and right
arm bare and falls short of the lower edge of the dhoti. The present
figure appears to wear these two robes in the prescribed manner, but
not the sanghati, and the folds of the dhoti are visible both in front
and in back below the lower edge of the uttarasanga. While the right
hand is held in abhaya mudra, the lowered left hand, shown with the
back of the hand facing outward, can be seen to hold the edge of the
uttarasanga.
The present figure was originally painted, with gold applied to the
face, chest and upper right arm. The drapery of the thin fabric of the
robes is rendered in carved single or double lines rather than carved
in relief, or absent altogether. On the present figure only the faintest
traces of pigment remain, as well as accretions on the back of the
robe that suggest that it was painted with a patchwork pattern. A grey
limestone figure of Buddha of Northern Qi date, but of smaller size
(70.5 cm. high), shown standing in a similar pose and also wearing a
robe that leaves the right shoulder bare and is defined only with paint,
was sold at Christie's New York, 22 March 2019, lot 1610.

A very similar but smaller figure (142 cm. high), which has the right
hand raised in abhaya mudra, the left in varada mudra, is illustrated in
Ancient Asian Sculptures from the Matsuoka Collection, Tokyo, 1994,
p. 96, pl. 52, where it is dated Northern and Southern dynasties, 6th
century. (Fig. 1) The face, hair, ears and slender profile are very similar
to those of the present figure, as are the carved details of the dhoti
that hangs below the lower edge of the uttarasanga.

51