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propertY From a neW YorK prIVate the present figure exemplifies the refinement of the same scale, with the same attributes and
CoLLeCtIon of Buddhist sculpture in the late northern Qi style of dress, and standing on a base carved
A ‘HUANGHUASHI’ LIMESTONE (550-577) and early sui (581-605) dynasties. with devotees and lions, in the collection of
FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA the sumptuousness of the present figure Jan Kleijkamp and ellis monroe, was exhibited
NORTHERN QI / SUI DYANSTY of avalokiteshvara testifies to the status of at five museums, including the h. m. de
Young memorial museum, san Francisco, and
Buddhism in the latter half of the 6th century.
the deity carved in the round with a slender the founding emperor of the northern Qi published in alfred salmony, Chinese Sculpture:
physique and gently rounded face, the proper dynasty, Gao Yang (r. 550-559, also known as Han (206 B. C. – A. D. 22) to Sung (A. D. 960-
right arm bent at the elbow with the hand raised the Wenxuan emperor), was an avid adherent 1279), new York, 1944, pl. XVI. another stone
beside the chest, the left arm at the side and and patron of Buddhism. In the same year sculpture of this type, formerly in the collection
holding a covered vase, the sashes falling in that he ascended the throne, he took an oath of the Louvre museum, paris, is published in
folds from the narrow shoulders and the dhoti to be a lay disciple of Fashang (495-580), and osvald sirén, Chinese Sculpture from the Fifth
clinging to the body in the ‘wet drapery’ effect the following year he declared his intention to the Fourteenth Century, new York, 1925, pl.
revealing the slight swell of the lower belly and to devote one-third of the state’s annual 268B. the above two sculptures both feature a
the contours of the thighs, a heavy necklace revenue to the Buddhist establishment. he mandorla at the back of the bodhisattva’s head
with petal-form pendants hanging at the chest and subsequent northern Qi emperors— and a ‘lion’ stand, and the latter has preserved
along with a double-chain suspending a large particularly, emperor Wucheng (r. 561-565) and polychrome pigment, thereby suggesting the
lotus bud-form ornament, a further double- emperor houzhu (r. 565-577)—sponsored the original state of the present sculpture before
chain punctuated with rosettes hanging down construction of numerous Buddhist temples, those elements were lost. a third stone figure
the front of the body, the face with a benevolent monasteries, and grottoes; invited illustrious of this type, also with avalokiteshvara standing
expression, a subtle smile playing across the monks, such as huizang (522-605), to give on a pedestal, and with a bouquet of flowers
lips and long eyebrows arching above the public lectures; oversaw significant translation rising from the vase, in the collection of the
lowered eyelids, the hairline mirroring the projects of sanskrit sutras; and encouraged metropolitan museum of art, new York is
curvature of the brows, the hair pulled into the chief strategist tang Yong (d. ca. 581) and published in Hai-wai yi-chen: Chinese Art in
a high chignon and partially concealed by his followers to carve the Buddhist cannon into Overseas Collections, Buddhist Sculpture, vol. 2,
an elaborate five-peaked diadem, each peak stone in order to preserve the scriptures at taipei, 1990, pl. 89. a gilt-bronze figure sharing
supporting a tasseled roundel, a large jewel Yunjusi (‘Cloud-dwelling temple’) outside of the characteristics of the present figure and
suspended in front of the urna and beaded Beijing. these rulers were keenly interested in cast standing on lotus bud above a stand with
strands hanging in loops between the roundels, the power of meditation and the promulgation openwork lions in the collection of the asian
a long sash securing the diadem at back of the of the faith. records state that during the art museum of san Francisco is published in
head, the loose ends streaming down behind northern Qi, there were over 4,000 major rené-Yvon Lefebvre d’argencé et al., Chinese,
the pendulous ears, a natural soft brown patina temples in the capital Ye alone. these temples Korean, and Japanese Sculpture in the Avery
coating the surface, affixed to a marble stand and the related grottoes provided places to Brundage Collection, san Francisco, 1974, pl.
(2) learn or practice meditation, as well as an 67; a related gilt-bronze figure is published in
height 12⅝ in., 32.1 cm immense demand for artisans (especially stone saburo matsubara, Chinese Buddhist Sculpture:
carvers) to create devotional works to fill their A Study Based on Bronze and Stone Statues
PROVENANCE spaces. the imperial project of patronizing other than Works from Cave Temples, tokyo,
Collection of Jakob Goldschmidt (1882-1955), Buddhism continued in the sui dynasty, 1966, pl. 159; and two others of this general
acquired circa. 1920s-1930s, and thence by during which time sui emperors utilized the type are published in osvald sirén, op. cit., pls
descent. religion—including the institutions, monks, and 282D and 282e. a northern Qi stone carving
sotheby’s new York, 23rd march 2004, lot 626. craftsmen that enabled the faith to spread—as of a standing bodhisattva, though with heavier
eskenazi, Ltd, London. a strategy to unify the empire. features than the present example, sold in our
London rooms, 15th may 2013, lot 147; and
the present figure of avalokiteshvara bears a taller version with simplified details, sold in
$ 80,000-120,000
a strong correlation to northern Qi and early these rooms, 17th september 2014, lot 416.
sui sculptures in both stone and gilt-bronze. a
北齊 / 隋 黃花石雕觀音像 strikingly similar stone figure of avalokiteshvara
來源
Jakob Goldschmidt (1882-1955) 收藏，
得於約1920至1930年代，此後家族傳承
紐約蘇富比2004年3月23日，編號626
Eskenazi, Ltd.，倫敦

136 SOTHEBY’S Important ChInese art