Page 77 - 2021 March 18 to 19th, Important Chinese Works of Art, Christie's New York City

817
A LARGE GREY STONE HEAD OF A
BODHISATTVA
MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) OR EARLIER
The round face is well-carved with a serene meditative
expression with half-closed eyes above a small full mouth
and framed by large, pendulous ear lobes. The hair is
neatly arranged in a tall topknot set with a foliate crown.
16º in. (41.2 cm.) high, wood stand and pedestal
$20,000-30,000
PROVENANCE:
Mariska Pugsley Marker (1918-2016) Collection.
This sculpture was once part of the collection of Mariska
Pugsley Marker (1919-2016). Independent, curious and
full of passion, she was an avid collector and pursued
many interests, including travel, arts, modeling, writing,
producing and acting in radio plays. Among these
pursuits, her lifelong interest in antiques and travel was
cultivated in her early life by her parents. Her father,
Dr. Frederick N. Pugsley (1883-1957), served as a naval
doctor at the American Legations in Beijing and in
Tianjin, where Mariska received her education at the
Tianjin American School and learned Chinese. Over
the years when Dr. Pugsley was stationed in China, he
acquired an extensive Chinese art collection including
bronzes, furniture and Buddhist sculpture, which he
brought with him when he returned to Kansas City. The
distinguished Sinologist Bertold Laufer (1874-1934)
expressed his admiration for the collection, describing it
as containing “so many excellent and outstanding pieces
of superior quality.”
The majority of Dr. Pugsley's collection was purchased
by philanthropist William Volker (1859-1947) in 1931,
and some were donated to the William Rockhill Nelson
Gallery (present day Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art).

明或以前 灰岩菩薩頭像
來源:
Mariska Pugsley Marker (1918-2016) 珍藏。

Mariska Pugsley Marker, shown standing beside
a figure of a Ming dynasty Buddha from her
father’s collection, on exhibit at the Kansas City
Museum, 1940. Image courtesy of The Kansas Star.
Photographer unknown.
Mariska Pugsley Marker站立於其父珍藏之明代佛
像旁, 攝於堪薩斯市立美術館, 1940年。圖片由The
Kansas Star報社提供。攝影師不詳。