Page 121 - important chinese art mar 22 2018

571

PROPERTY FROM AN AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
A DRY LACQUER FIGURE OF VAIROCANA
MING DYNASTY, 15TH CENTURY

modeled seated in vajraparyankasana with the hands in
dharmachakra mudra, the hair in tight, pointed knots around a
gilded ushnisha and framing the face in a broad, bowed outline,
the pendulous earlobes pierced through, the brows arching
down to meet the bridge of the nose between downcast, half-
closed eyes and above small, full lips, the surplice crossed
over the left shoulder and robes draped in cascading folds over
the body, terminating in neat pleats about the legs, the " gure
covered in dark red lacquer with traces of gilding remaining,
independent of and raised on a lotus base constructed as
two layers of petals " tting together to conceal an inner cavity
containing 27 tightly-rolled sutra scrolls bound together with
string (30)
Height overall 24½ in., 62.2 cm

PROVENANCE
Collection of Dr. Hans Smetana (1894-1977), acquired in China
circa 1925, and thence by descent.
A similar lacquered " gure was sold in these rooms, 1st June
1994, lot 463, and a set of two, of slightly larger size, in
our London rooms, 8th November 2006, lot 33. Compare
also a smaller dry lacquer " gure of related modeling in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, illustrated in Alan
Priest, Chinese Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, 1944, pl. CVVVI, with an inscribed paper scroll
contained in an interior cavity dating to the ninth year of the
Yongle reign, corresponding to 1411. 571
$ 20,000-30,000
׼ɤʞ˰ߏ Ѱῤ৻ဒɽ˚νԸНѬ྅
Ը๕
Hans Smetana ᔼ͛ 1894 1977 ϗᔛdߒ1925ϋ੻׵
ʕ਷d Ϥܝ࢕ૄෂו

572
A LARGE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA
MING DYNASTY
cast seated in dhyanasana, the upturned soles of the feet each
showing a four-spoked dharmachakra, right hand lowered
in bhumisparsa mudra and the left held palm-up in dhyana
mudra, the dhoti sashed at the waist and the robe falling from
the shoulders over the arms and onto the ground, the hem cast
and chased with a brocade pattern of scrolling lotus and the
‘Eight Buddhist Emblems’, the exposed chest centered with
a wanzi, the bowed head with a serene expression, downcast
eyes, elongated ears, and tightly coiled hair, the usnisha
surmounted by a round jewel, the interior hollow
Height 18¼ in., 45.4 cm
A closely related gilt-bronze " gure of Akshobya with similar
drapery and a single jewel crowing the ushnisha, though
approximately two-thirds the size of the present example, sold
at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29th September 1992, lot 902. A large
bronze " gure of this manifestation of the Buddha, adorned
in gilt and polychrome, sold in our London rooms, 16th May
2007, lot 43.
572
$ 30,000-50,000
׼ ზ⺗ږНѬ྅
IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 119