Page 126 - Bonhams Olivier Collection Early Chinese Art November 2018

Delicately carved from a highly translucent marble which further 大理石質，菩薩頭戴寶瓶冠，開臉圓潤，眉目清秀，唇角微收若有笑
emphasises the elegant proportions and the ethereal grace, the 意，為大勢至菩薩尊容。
present head is a remarkable example of the high standards achieved
in Buddhist portraiture during the Northern Qi period. 據Osvald Siren所論述，輪廓較為圓潤的大理石塑像多為六世紀後
半葉所雕琢，詳見O.Siren著，「Chinese Marble Sculptures of the
At this time, Buddhism had flourished in China, with several shrines Transition Period（過渡期的中國大理石雕塑像）」， 載於《東方博物
being constructed under the Emperors’ personal auspices and 館簡報》，第12期，斯特哥爾摩，1940年，頁473至496。
eminent monks being appointed as state preceptors. Conspicuous
financial resources were devoted to the construction of Buddhist 比對美國堪薩斯納爾遜-阿特金斯藝術博物館藏一尊北齊石灰岩觀音
caves whose marvellous sculptures combined sensuous modelling 頭像，同樣雕琢拱形眉毛以及漩渦狀髮髻，館藏編號F99-1。另一與
and subtlety of expression. These features were likely derived from 本拍品可作比對的例子，於山東博興龍華寺出土，載於「山東博興
the contemporary Indian style of the Gupta period, which was 龍華寺遺址調查簡報」，《考古》，第九輯，北京，1986年，圖版
highly regarded by the Qi aristocracy for its exotic traits. In Buddhist 6，圖2。另外兩尊相關的北齊石灰岩大勢至菩薩頭像，則分別由華
faith, images of deities served as important foci of worship but 盛頓佛瑞爾藝廊及聖地亞哥藝術博物館所藏，館藏編號F1916.346及
also promoted significant devotional acts which contributed to the DSC06522；聖地亞哥藝術博物館一例則載於K.Tsiang著，《Echoes
devotee’s personal growth towards spiritual liberation. of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan（過去的迴
響：響山堂石窟佛教造像）》，芝加哥，2010年，頁230，圖32。
According to Osvald Siren, marble figures modelled in gently rounded
forms, such as the present example, were typically produced during
the second half of the 6th century. See O.Siren, ‘Chinese Marble
Sculptures of the Transition Period’, Bulletin of the Museum of Far
Eastern Antiquities, no.12, Stockholm, 1940, pp.473-496.

The vase featured at the centre of the crown identifies the figure as
Mahasthamaprapta, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom and one of the Eight
Great Bodhisattvas of the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism. Images of
Mahasthamaprapta were typically paired with those of Avalokiteshvara,
the Bodhisattva of Compassion, in relation to the cult of Buddha
Amitabha and the Pure Land which offered the ideal conditions for
attaining awakening in a single lifetime.

Compare with a limestone head of a bodhisattva, Northern Qi
dynasty, similarly modelled with arched brows and hair arranged in
regular curls, coiling to each side from the centre, from the Nelson
Atkins Museum, Kansas City (acc.no.F99-1). Another stone example
bearing similar features to the present example is illustrated in
Shandong Boxing Longhua si yizhi diaocha jianbao (Reconnaissance
of the Site of the Longhua Temple at Boxing, Shandong), Kaogu,
Beijing, 1986, vol.9, pl.6, fig.2. Also compare with two related
limestone heads of Mahasthamaprapta, Northern Qi, respectively
from the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. (acc.no.F1916.346),
and the San Diego Museum of Art, (acc.no.DSC06522), the latter
illustrated in K.Tsiang, Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave
Temples of Xiangtangshan, Chicago, 2010, p.230, fig.32.

Image courtesy of the San Diego
Museum of Art