Page 26 - Christie's Hong Kong May 31, 2017 Fine Buddhist Works of Art

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A VERY RARE IMPERIAL EARLY MING
LARGE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF
CATURBHUJA MANJUSRI

XUANDE INCISED SIX-CHARACTER PRESENTATION
MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1426-1435)

The figure is intricately modelled seated in dhyanasana on a
double-lotus base with four arms. The upper right hand is
welding a sword above his head, and the lower left hand holding
a lotus stem supporting a book of the ‘Perfection of Wisdom’,
Prajnaparamita Sutra, to one side of the shoulder. The full face
with eyes downcast and lips indented to provide a benevolent
expression. Adorned with disc-shaped earrings below a foliate
diadem, securing the hair that is swept into a topknot. Wearing a
thin scarf across the shoulders revealing a bare torso decorated with
an elaborate jewellery chain. Similarly decorating the belt around
the waist above a gossamer dhoti that gathered in folds around
the crossed legs. The lotus base inscribed with Da Ming Xuande
nianshi, ‘Bestowed in the Great Ming Xuande Period’. The interior
is incised with a partially legible inscription incorporating various
numerals.
10 in. (25.5 cm.) high

HK$5,500,000-8,000,000 US$720,000-1,000,000

PROVENANCE

A French private collection, acquired in the early 1960s

明宣德 御製鎏金銅四臂文殊菩薩坐像
「大明宣德年施」楷書刻款

來源
法國私人收藏，入藏於1960年代初

mark inscriptions
款識 銘文

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