Page 45 - 2020 September Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art, Bonham NYC

Each of the three figures sits with the legs crossed in the posture of 上述三尊佛像皆盤膝打坐，左手置左腿上，提起的右手
meditation, the left hand resting on the left thigh, the raised right arm 則或已損毀，或已只剩「無畏手印」殘件。袈裟衣褶整
either missing or showing the remains of the hand held in the abhaya
mudra. The arrangement of drapery folds in their outer garments is 體式樣一致，褶襇撐起部分於左肩作扇狀，沿胸膛而
also similar throughout: gathered in raised folds that fan outward on 下，露出微拱肌肉，最後收納於從右肩而下至右前臂的
the left shoulder and loop downward across the torso, exposing the 垂直衣褶內。三尊中最大型的，為東京書道博物館藏
slightly raised pectoral muscles of the chest, and terminating beneath 711年佛像。寶座後延伸起的橢圓背光襯托佛頭，寬闊
vertical folds of fabric that fall from the right shoulder onto the
extended right forearm. The Shodo Hakubutsukan Buddha of 711 is 的肩膀、胸膛，加上腰帶襯裡下呈圓狀的肚腹，令身材
the most massive, with his head silhouetted against a mandorla rising 顯得格外厚重。大都會藝術博物館藏717年佛身像則相
from the back of the throne, very wide shoulders and the impression 對細小，但身材比例合宜，胸膛肌肉表達亦細膩。袈裟
of sheer corpulence to his torso intensified by the rounded surface of 褶襇方面，與711年佛像和永青文庫藏青龍寺的兩尊佛
the belly visible beneath his belted undergarment. The Metropolitan
Museum of Art Buddha of 717 lacks a head and is the least imposing, 像大體一致。有見及此，Rhie教授更斷代永青文庫藏佛
considering its small size. However the body is proportional, pectoral 像為約717年。
muscles are well delineated and the arrangement of the outer 此青龍寺阿彌陀佛佛像造工特別精細，微拱胸膛肌肉線
garment folds echoes the general arrangement of those on the
Buddha of 711 and marble Amitabha from the Qinglongsi in the Eisei 條清晰，與此白大理石彌勒佛身像相同。但阿彌陀佛佛
Bunko Foundation. In fact, Professor Rhie suggested a date close to 像之工匠則於右胸加刻乳首。衣裳垂下至阿彌陀佛佛像
717 for the latter sculpture. 殘座，最後更覆蓋底部的蓮花花瓣，線條質感鮮明。類
The Amitabha from the Qinglongsi is especially well finished and 似逼真效果，亦見於白大理石彌勒佛身像的衣飾上。其
detailed. The pectoral muscles rising in rounded relief from a crisply 袈裟沿大腿及下垂的雙腳而下，自然流暢。青龍寺阿彌
delineated outline across the chest mirror those on this white 陀佛佛像於1978年奈良國立博物館展覽展出時，圖錄提
marble Maitreya fragment; but the sculptor of the Amitabha even
included a nipple on the right breast. The fabric that cascades 到鑑於開元2年（714年）銅鎏金鑄造技術所限，工匠改
down the incomplete pedestal of the Amitabha falls in weighty folds 用大理石為材料。現存開元10年（723年）至天寶10年
and recesses as it covers the tips of petals from the lotus support （752年）間的作例，足以印證當時不少佛像皆以大理
beneath. This sense of convincing realism also marks the outer 石為材。圖錄亦特別提到，右胸刻有乳首的逼真風格，
garment of the marble Maitreya fragment as the fabric falls across
his lap and pendant legs. When the Amitabha from the Qinglongsi 反映出天龍山石窟寺對唐都長安大理石佛像之影響（見
was published in the 1978 exhibition at the Nara National Museum, 《日本 教美術の源流》頁36 No. 34，同上）。
the catalog mentions due to the restrictions on the casting of gilt
bronze statues in Kaiyuan 2nd year (714), sculptors turned to marble.
The popularity for marble as a medium for Buddhist statuary can
be inferred from the number of examples surviving from the years
Kaiyuan 10th year (723) to Tianbao 10th year (752). The entry also
mentioned that the realistic inclusion of the nipple on the right breast
shows the influence from the cave temples of Tianlongshan on the
marble sculpture of metropolitan Chang’an (see Nihon Bukkyo bijutsu
no genryu, p. 36 No. 34 cited above).

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