Page 228 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 Hong Kong

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A fine and very rare gilt-bronze Densatil ‘Buddha’ frieze
Ming dynasty, 14th / 15th century
The rectangular frieze heavily cast in high relief depicting a series of
seated Buddha figures arranged in six rows of size increasing towards
the bottom, each seated cross-legged atop a lotus pedestal with the
hands in dhyanamudra, the serene facial expression in deep meditation,
framed by curly hair revealing the usnisha at the top, wearing a loose
robe swung over the left shoulder partially revealing the bare chest,
the central cartouche with a flaming mandorla, the sides cast with two
elegant dancing goddesses playing drums, each standing atop a lotus
lappet pedestal in relaxed dancing posture, wearing a headdress, large
disk earrings, necklace and long dhotis with a sash leaving the chest
bare.
37.8cm wide. x 9.5cm deep.
HK$800,000 - 1,200,000
US$100,000 - 150,000
明十四/十五世紀 丹薩替寺铜鎏金万佛仙女饰板
The spiritual teacher Pagmodrupa Dorje Gyalpo was one the three main
disciples of Gampopa Sonam Rinchen who established the Dagpo Kagyu
school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was also the disciple of Sachen Kunga
Nyingpo (1092-1158) who was one of the much revered founders of the
Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. Pagmodrupa Dorje Gyalpo travelled
to the Northern banks of the Tsangpo river in Tibet in the twelfth
century. Pupils gathered at his side to form a simple monastery originally
of grass huts, but after his death in 1170 the monastic complex was
enlarged and a temple built to become a centre for the Kagyu sect. This
became known as the Densatil monastery.
From the mid fourteenth century, Densatil was ruled by the
Phagmogrupa family, one of the most powerful ruling families of the
time. The family sought to extend its influence with a series of high-level 丹薩替寺佛造像傳世品較少，參看香港邦瀚斯2012年5月27日售出一件
gift exchanges with the Chinese Emperors, and eventually they came
to rule almost all of Tibet. Their wealth and influence is attested by the
astonishingly high quality of art produced under their patronage, where
the Densatil monastery became one of the richest in Tibet, and was
(fig.1) Interior of Densatil; photograph by P.Mele, 1984
226 | Bonhams
renowned in particular for its gilt metalwork and paintings by Newar
artists from Nepal. Such pieces attained such high level of craftsmanship
and quality that they can be viewed as being as close to ‘Imperial’
commissions as was possible in Tibet at the time.
The complex at Densatil was destroyed during the Chinese Cultural
Revolution, but evidence of its artistic importance and influence can
be seen in the records of the Italian traveller Giuseppe Tucci following
his visit in 1948, and in the black and white photographs taken by the
Italian photographer Pietro Francesco Mele who accompanied Tucci on
the 1948 expedition: see P.Mele, Tibet, Calcutta, 1975.
Friezes such as the present lot would once have decorated towards
the upper part of the stupa at Densatil, where eighteen large funerary
reliquaries contained the mortal remains of the religious and political
leaders of the Phagmogrupa (fig.1).
For other examples of Densatil friezes sold at auction, compare another
similar frieze sold in these rooms, 27 May 2012, lot 281; and another in
our London rooms, 8 November 2012, lot 260.
丹薩替寺是帕竹噶舉派最早的主寺，又是從帕竹噶舉派分出的八個支派
的母寺，宗教地位極高。帕木竹巴一名來源於藏傳佛教噶舉派創始人多
吉傑布，因其在帕木竹建寺傳教，後被稱為「帕木竹巴•多吉傑布」。
明代是帕竹政權的興盛時期，其勢力日益擴大的同時，亦多次受到明朝
皇帝的認可和冊封，帕竹政權最後擴大至幾乎整個西藏地區。丹薩替寺
佛造像風格特殊，其供奉形式不像一般佛像供在佛龕或神壇，而是供奉
在舍利靈塔的塔身四周，其佛造像背面多帶有可能原來用於固定在塔身
的固件。根據施羅德所著，《西藏佛教塑像》，第二卷，頁1009，所
著錄丹薩替寺舍利塔照片判斷，此塊飾板可能曾用於裝飾舍利塔上半部
分（fig.1）。
丹薩替寺四供養天女雕刻飾板，編號281以及倫敦邦瀚斯2012年11月8
日售出另一件類似品，編號260，兩件均為丹薩替寺舍利塔下部分裝飾
固件，但其鑄造風格與本品類似。