Page 22 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Fine Chinese Art

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 士紳藏品

112
A FINE AND LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF VAIROCANA
16th century
The finely-cast deity seated in dhyanasana with the hands in uttrabhodi
mudra, the eyes slightly downcast with a serene expression flanked
by elongated earlobes suspending ornate earrings, all beneath blue-
painted snailshell curls surrounded by a tall pierced tiara enclosing
seated Buddhas and issuing ribbons falling over the shoulders, the
elegantly flowing robes revealing a plain chest with a long life symbol.
52.7cm (20 3/4in) high

£30,000 - 50,000
CNY260,000 - 430,000

十六世紀 銅毗盧遮那佛結跏跌坐像

Provenance: a European private collection

來源： 歐洲私人收藏

Considered the ‘Primordial’ Buddha, Vairocana was also deemed
the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of Emptiness, sunyata
and Encompassing Wisdom, one of the qualities of the Five Dhyani
Buddhas, represented on the pointed crown. The uttrabodhi mudra
displayed by the figure represents Supreme Enlightenment, a quality
possessed by one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, of which Vairocana
was one, the other four being Aksobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha
and Amoghasiddhi. The complete group, with Vairocana at the centre,
is cast on the pointed crown of the present figure.

Closely-related figures of Vairocana, Ming dynasty, were sold at
Sotheby’s New York, 16 March 2016, lot 368; and Christie’s Hong
Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3770.

20 | BONHAMS For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.