Page 99 - Art De' Asie Christie's Paris December 16, 2022

89 Guizimu, also known as Hariti, is both a revered
goddess and demon, depending on the Buddhist
GRANDE STATUE DE GUIZIMU EN BOIS tradition. As one of the Twenty-Four Protective
LAQUÉ ET PARTIELLEMENT DORÉ
CHINE, DYNASTIE MING, ÉPOQUE WANLI, Deities of Mahayana Buddhism, she is often
DATÉ 1607 regarded for the protection of children and women
especially in Southern China. Representations of
Elle est représentée debout sur une base qua-
drangulaire, sa tête légèrement tournée vers la Guizimu of this size and quality are extremely rare.
droite. Il est vêtu de longues robes bordées de Compare to a Ming dynasty monumental statue
galons sculptés de frises de grecques, frises de of Guizimu, in the Shanhua Temple, Shahua Si, in
lotus et rinceaux. Sa robe extérieure rehaussée de Datong, Shanxi Province.
pigments rouges est ornée de dragons parmi les The quality and style of our present figure can be
nuées. Son visage aux yeux mi-clos et à la bouche identified as the epitome of the Fujian traditional
souriante est serein. Ses cheveux sont coiffés en
chignon et son front est ceint d’une imposante craftsmanship. Influenced by both Fujian and the
couronne ouvragée. Elle tient dans sa main droite Vietnamese culture, the gorgeous gold lacquer
un rouleau et de sa main gauche tire un pan de sa and meticulously carved details are outstanding
robe. La base porte une inscription désignant la di- on our present sculpture. The harmonious lines
vinité et datant la statue. of the female deity clearly remind us of the best
Hauteur : 97 cm. (38p in.) examples of late Ming dehua figures of Guanyin.
Two examples, sized 87.6 cm. and 90.2 cm, which
€60,000-80,000 US$63,000-83,000
£53,000-70,000 are considered to have been made at an early date
and in monumental form, are illustrated in P.J.
PROVENANCE: Donnelly, Blanc de Chine: Monographs on Pottery
Previously from a Swiss private collection, and Porcelain, New York, 1969, plates 81A and 81B.
acquired prior to 1950.
The dating is consistent with the CIRAM C14 test
no.0922-OA-852B, 26 September 2022.
The carved inscription on the front of the base
could be translated as follow:
A LARGE PARCEL GILT-LACQUERED WOOD
‘Faithful Xu Rigao, from the Benevolence and FIGURE OF A STANDING GUIZIMU
Justice district, made a vow to carve and adorn a CHINA, MING DYNASTY, WANLI PERIOD,
statue of Guizimu, for the present [to the devotees] DATED 1607
of the hermitage of Mount East, present offerings
明萬曆 年 木漆金鬼子母・像
to her and pray to her for fame and glory, the
establishment of children and the longevity of all.
底座銘文˖
An auspicious day in the first month of the year
ӱ義坊信生許日䫧發心雕刻粧彩鬼子母尊天а
dingwei (1607) of the Wanli’s reign.’
尊DŽ玄入東山菴供 ӫ養>養@祈≲功名ˈ顯達男
The back of the base is signed by Jiang Zong. 女ˈ壽ભ延長DŽ萬曆б未年↓月ਹDŽ
ֶⓀ
瑞士私Ӫ舊藏ˈ於 年前購入
此 觀音 經 法 國 DJ S B N 實 驗 室 碳25測 試)測 試 編 號
op/1:33.PB.963C*結果與圖錄斷ẋ相符，3133年:
月37日

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