Page 86 - Bonhams UK Fine Chinese Art Art November 1, 2022

216 *
A MARBLE HEAD OF
AVALOKITESHVARA
Carved with serene expression, arched
eyebrows above down-cast eyes, aquiline
nose, pouting lips, all between elongated
earlobes, beneath striated hairdress combed
into a curled chignon, stand. 47cm (18 1/2in)
high

£5,000 - 8,000
HK$42,000 - 68,000
CNY39,000 - 62,000

Provenance
A European private collection

217
A RARE LARGE PAINTED STUCCO
RECLINING FIGURE OF BUDDHA
Western Xia Dynasty, 11th/12th century
Depicting the Buddha’s entry into Nirvana,
reclining, with long flowing robes, his right
arm supporting his head with peaceful
expression, accompanied by a dancing
mourner, richly painted in blue, red, brown,
black and peach-coloured pigments and
embellished with extensive gilding. 54cm (21
1/4in) long (2).
£1,500 - 2,000
HK$13,000 - 17,000
CNY12,000 - 15,000
216
Provenance
Jonathan Tucker and Antonia Tozer, Asian
Art, London, 2001
An English private collection

Published and Illustrated
J.Tucker and A.Tozer, Splendours of
Buddhist Art, London, 2001, no.6

The subject matter of this image is the
passage of the Buddha into Nirvana. He
lies down on a royal couch in the sala grove
of the Malla kings beside the Hirannavati
River. Surrounded by his faithful monks he
utters his final words: ‘Everything is subject
to change; strive on without delay’, and at
dawn on the following day passes into the
great Nirvana.

There is a large reclining Buddha in Zhangye,
Gansu Province, 34.5 metres long and the
largest in China, at the ‘Monastery of the
Great Buddha’ (Dafosi) built in 1098 by the
Tangut Kingdom of Xixia. The private Young
Museum of Ancient Cultural Arts in Texas has
a marble block relief of similar date depicting
the parinirvana with mourners.
217

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
84 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.