Page 96 - Christie's, materpieces of Buddhist Art December 2, 2015 HK

2908

A VERY RARE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF
MARICHI

CHINA, YONGLE INCISED SIX-CHARACTER PRESENTATION MARK
AND OF THE PERIOD (1402-1424)

The female deity sits in dhyanasana on a lotus base holding various
implements in her eight hands, including a vajra, arrow, hook, branch
of the Ashoka tree, needle, and bow. She wears a flowing dhoti and is
adorned with various necklaces and sashes. The central face is benevolent in
expression, and flanked by two faces, one ferocious, all three surmounted
by foliate crowns.

5√ in. (15 cm.) high

PROVENANCE
The property of a Distinguished Asian Collector, acquired from Ming
Imperial Bronzes from the Collection of Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter,
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2010, lot 2141

The rarity of the iconography and the relatively small stature make the
present figure a jewel of the Imperial Yongle style; compare with another
rare Yongle-marked figure, but of standing Amitayus, sold at Christie’s
Hong Kong, 3 June 2015, lot 3009. (fig. 1)

明永樂 鎏金銅摩利支天坐像 《大明永樂年施》楷書刻款 fig. 1
A gilt-bronze figure of Amitayus, Yongle six-character presentation mark and of the period
佛母全跏趺坐於蓮座上，八隻手臂分持法器，有金剛杵，箭，鉤，無憂花 (1402-1424)
枝，針，弓，索。下身繫裙，肩有飄帶，身戴珠寶瓔珞。三面中，二面慈
祥莊嚴，一面呈憤怒像，均戴五葉寶冠。 (圖一) 明永樂 鎏金銅無量壽佛立像 《大明永樂年施》款

來源
Tuyet Nguyet 及 Stephen Markbreiter 伉儷
香港蘇富比，2010年10 月7 日，拍品2141號

摩利支天的題材於同期的鎏金銅造像中十分罕見，此尊工藝精
湛，細緻入微，實為難得。比較一尊永樂款無量壽佛立像，於香
港佳士得2015年6月3日拍賣，拍品3009號(圖一)。

94 Masterpieces of Buddhist Art 大俱足 — 經典亞洲佛教藝術