Page 123 - 2020 Sept Important Chinese Art Sotheby's NYC Asia Week
P. 123
9/2/2020 Important Chinese Art | Sotheby's
Impo rtant Chinese Art
New York |23 Sep 2020 | 09:00 AM EDT
Lot 580
A SMALL GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF MAITREYA , TANG DYNASTY
Estimate: 40,000 - 60,000 USD
A SMALL GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF MAITREYA
TANG DYNASTY
唐 銅鎏金彌勒佛坐像
the Buddha seated with the raised hand in abhaya mudra, dressed in a simple robe with voluminous fabric draped over the edge of
the seat, the deity framed by an openwork mandorla of scrolling arabesques, all supported below by a waisted and stepped
pedestal base encircled with lotus petals, the foot with two extended tangs, modern stand, Japanese wood box (5)
Height 4 in., 10.2 cm
Catalogue Note
A similar gilt-bronze figure of Maitreya, a central figure of a triptych and with the legs pendent, attributed to the Tang and with a
related mandorla, is preserved in the Idemitsu Collection and illustrated in Ancient Chinese Arts in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo,
1989, pl. 345. Compare a similar Tang period gilt-bronze figure of Maitreya Buddha illustrated in Saburo Matsubara, Chinese
Buddhist Sculpture: A study based on bronze and stone statues other than works from cave temples, Tokyo, 1966, pl. 266d, with a
similar design but lacking the mandorla. Another example, with a more elaborate but related mandorla, was sold at Christie's New
York, 2nd December 1986, lot 347.
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/important-chinese-art?locale=en 123/435
