Page 417 - Chinese Works of Art Christies South Kensington Nov. 2015

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE IRISH COLLECTION

1329

A GILT BRONZE STANDING FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI
18TH-19TH CENTURY

清十八/十九世紀 鎏金銅釋迦牟尼立像

Shakyamuni is modelled standing in samapada on a lotus base, with his
hands in abhaya and varadamudra, wearing an elaborate sanghati with raised
pleats falling in concentric folds, the hemlines delicately incised with foliate
borders. His face is in a serene expression with arched brows, fanked by
pendulous earlobes. His intricately incised hair is surmounted by a high
domed ushnisha with gold disks.

13Ω in. (34.3 cm.) high

£15,000-25,000 $23,000-38,000
€21,000-34,000

PROVENANCE:

Private Irish Collection, acquired in the latter half of the 19th century and
then by descent.

The detailed modelling of the drapery with concentric cascading folds
seen on the current fgure follows a style termed Udayana, corresponding
to the kingdom of Udayana, now modern-day Swat Valley, Pakistan. From
this region similarly robed images of Maitreya, the bodhisattva who would
become the Buddha of the Future Age, were transmitted along the early
Silk Road to China. These fgures, with hands in abhaya and varadamudra,
embodied a message of the coming salvation of all sentient beings.

See a slightly smaller 18th century standing fgure of Buddha with
comparable intricate modelling of the robes and also with hands in abhaya
and varadamudra, which sold at Christie’s New York, 13 September 2011,
lot 374.

A gilt copper alloy example, dating to the Qianlong period (1736-1795) was
included in the Sotheby’s New York selling exhibition, Footsteps of the
Buddha: Masterworks from Across the Buddhist World, 3-23 September
2013, no. 28.

END OF SALE

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