Page 89 - Sotheby's Part II Collection of Sir Joeseph Hotung Collection CHINESE ART , Oct. 9, 2022

Radiating compassion and a regal presence through the
176 I FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUING ༉းྡ፽ʫ࢙ሗᓭᚎ SOTHEBYS.COM/HK1292
͉య˝ᎉᝈࠪ྅ग़ᗲ͛ਗdிۨ၂ɽd࣯࣯νॆdྼމ׼˾፲
delicate naturalism of its carving and towering form, this ޜfᎉ෧ࠬࣸІ್Ꮭॆdंሯ᎑ᑿӐᖢd຾Պཡ͑fᝈ࢙ࠪࠦฉ
magnificent wood sculpture of Avalokiteshvara is a truly ేdᕐͦฆۧdτᑿୂձdڌତമᔜᝈ๫ʫίᆋ׼dʔա̮྅ה
majestic legacy of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Its stature, ᖟf᎑ܠग़ઋͷЧɝ֛dӐ᎑୿ᘌd್ᜳਗν͛d֟߰ɨɓ߆
classic poise and serene naturalism embody its timelessness; уৎԒɨࢭdנܓڦ଺f͉యᝈࠪ҃ਃ୿ᝈd᎘Ꮦ˂ڿdᙾर
its meditative expression exudes a benign calm and warmth တၢdВᑲᔮᘆdᘤ੹೓πd̙ணซ׷ࣛ݊Оഃږ၀ሾ๯e୿
that is instantly approachable and emotionally appealing. ᘌࣿ௷f
Coupled with the opulent ornamentation, sophisticated style
of carving and preserved pigments, this sumptuous illustration ᝈ˰ࠪമᔜdจܸᝈᛓ˰ග଺ࠪdరᑊહ߮dฉేމᕿdމ଺Н
of Avalokiteshvara conveys their worldliness and non-ethereal ʘʕ௰աኹᏖʘɓfᝈࠪѬ׵੣Ꮜ֧ͩࢭʘɪdՉ֧ࢭ൥ᅄ౷ښ
status, presenting an overwhelming visual effect that captures रᮀʆdɗیऎɪɓࢭʃࢥdෂႭމᝈࠪʘᏐʷ༸ఙfЇ׼˾ɓ
the undivided attention of devotees and temple visitors. ಃdЗ׵एϪ֛ऎጤ؇ݱٙ౷ښʆdϓމമᔜ໋ʆʘήᅺd˰˸
ᝈࠪה֢dіˏ଺εڦࢯИʆಃ໋f
Avalokiteshvara became popular as the deity of mercy and ׼˾ᝈࠪ྅ַᚃۃಃН઺ி྅ෂ୕dࠬࣸ޴ڐdᝈࠪѬ۶eࠦ
compassion, answering prayers and protecting the faithful ࢙eԒᔶᇞૢ͵ᗳΝfГ˙ࠠࠅߕஔ᎜ᔛᅰయۃಃᗳԷ̙༟ਞ
from catastrophe, here depicted seated in lalitasana on mossy ϽdՉɓމδࠋସΤʘږ˾ᝈࠪ྅dᔛ׵ॶဧჅڛतږ౶ᖵ
rockery representing Potalaka, an island originally thought to ஔ௹ي᎜d᎜ᔛᇜ໮34-10dତ࢝̈׵ Paul and Helen Bernat
be in the southern sea that is the deity’s home. By the Ming ࢝ᝂ຅଻ЗໄfՉɚމᔛ׵ࡐ౱ၪεлԭၾЎЬत௹ي᎜d
dynasty, this fabled paradise had been associated with Mount ᎜ᔛᇜ໮A.7-1935fڐϋשርึ͵ԈᅰᗳԷdՉɓਯ׵ˋኇ
Putuo, an island off the east coast province of Zhejiang, and Գɻ੻2012ϋ12˜19˚dᇜ໮177d৷175ʮʱdಀ࢝̈׵
had become a major pilgrimage site. In contrast to images Chinese Sculpture C. 500-1500‘dࡾ౶̔ॶᄁdࡐ౱d2014
of the Buddha, who had already attained enlightenment, ϋdତމڛ̺༺ˢᖯओࢗᔛۜd᎜ᔛᇜ໮ LAD2018.001f̤
bodhisattvas have vowed to remain in the world to ensure the ɓ྅dˉʂ༰ʃ€66ʮʱ˝ᎉᝈ˰ࠪമᔜdᓙމ፱˾d̈
ultimate salvation of all sentient beings. І Martin Erdmann ၾ F. Brodie Lodge ᔚᔛdڋਯ׵ࡐ౱ᘽబ
ˢ1988ϋ6˜7˚dᇜ໮48dܝ׸˓׵࠰ಥԳɻ੻2018ϋ5˜
The portrayal of bodhisattvas in the Ming dynasty largely
continued from the sculptural traditions established in the 30˚dᇜ໮2858dତᔛ࠰ಥฉʆυd᎜ᔛᇜ໮2018.08fՉɧ
މ҂˾ᝈࠪ྅d৷137ʮʱdމߕ਷బਠฉഛ࢕ John Richard
preceding dynasties, with similar poise, expression of the face
and overall countenance. For related wood bodhisattvas of Young€1932-2015ϋเˤᔚᔛdਯ׵࠰ಥᘽబˢ2021ϋ4˜
the preceding dynasties, see one of the most famous wood 18˚dᇜ໮8002f
bodhisattvas in the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, accession
no. 34-10. It is the centrepiece of the Paul and Helen Bernat
Galleries, where it is designated as Jin dynasty (1115-1234);
another in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum,
accession no. A.7-1935. See also three important wood figures
of Avalokiteshvara that appeared at auction in the last decade.
The first, a larger figure of 175 cm sold at Christie’s Paris, 19th
December 2012, lot 177 and included in the exhibition Chinese
Sculpture C.500-1500, Eskenazi, London, 2014, is now in the
permanent collection of the Louvre Abu Dhabi (accession no.
LAD 2018.001). Another smaller (66 cm) wood sculpture of
Avalokiteshvara, attributed to the Liao dynasty, formerly in the
collections of Martin Erdmann and F. Brodie Lodge, sold in our
London rooms, 7th June 1988, lot 48 and again at Christie’s
Hong Kong, 30th May 2018, lot 2858. It is now in the collection
of the Tsz Shan Museum, Hong Kong, accession no. 2018.08
(fig. 5). A third example (137 cm) from the collection of John
Richard Young was sold in these rooms, 18th April 2021, lot
8002.
THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF THE LATE SIR JOSEPH HOTUNG I 177