Page 26 - Contenplating the Divie Buddhist Art Christies Hong Kong

set on an altar table, its pedestal might have appeared as 本尊的光背鏤雕精美，外沿的熊熊火焰象徵法力與光芒，其
just described, though, alternatively, it might have included 造型繁複細膩，環繞菩薩之頭肩，與其端凝的面容形成了鮮
only a single, upright blossom, the most elaborate pedestal
on the altar table being that reserved for the Buddha 明的對比。較早期的頭光、背光或舉身光俱為實心鑄造，所
at the centre of the grouping. In fact, only well-known, 飾蓮花和光燄均是鏨刻或模鑄而成。有見鏤雕日益流行，隋
clearly identified, and widely worshiped bodhisattvas were 代的透雕光背偶有採用構圖對稱的纏枝花卉，就此可參照東
traditionally presented as stand-alone images, making it 京國立博物館藏觀音立像，或日本靜岡縣熱海市 MOA 美術
likely that this bodhisattva originally was part of an altar 館（又名「岡田茂吉美術館」）珍藏的近似例； 但以本雕像
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group. Moreover, the figure’s slight S-curve posture and its
subtly C-curved pose—resembling an opening parenthesis 和大都會近似作（館藏號 12.161）為例，此類作品無不氣韻
“(”—further suggests that this sculpture likely was part of 靈動，預示了唐代雕刻匠人承先啟後、力求生動寫實之風。
an altar group and stood to one side of the central Buddha; 本拍品和大都會珍藏雖結合了佛教光身典型的蓮花和光焰
if so, the hierarchically scaled and symmetrically arranged 紋，但增加了透雕的放射光軸，自菩薩的蓮形頭光輻射而出，
group would have included a corresponding bodhisattva on
the other side of the Buddha, that bodhisattva claiming a 既突顯了菩薩之法力，亦可用以象徵佛祖說法之法輪。
subtle reverse-C-curve, like a closing parenthesis “)”, the two
bodhisattvas thus gracefully framing the central Buddha in 本尊菩薩氣度雍容，與之最接近的例子是上述大都會藝術博
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mirror-image fashion. 物館藏觀音立像（館藏號 12.161）， 以及風格類似的東京永
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青文庫菩薩立像， 還有兩尊大致相同的哈佛大學珍藏觀音立
This majestic sculpture dates to the Sui dynasty (C.E. 518–
618) and thus to the late sixth or early seventh century, as 像：一者為哈佛大學藝術博物館珍藏（登錄號 1950.155），
indicated by the openwork halo 背光 , the three-point crown, 另一例藏於佛羅倫薩的哈佛大學意大利文藝復興研究中心，
the square, fleshy face with features concentrated toward 又名伊塔蒂中心（Villa I Tatti）。大都會藏品無上述微妙的
its center, the open eyes gazing directly ahead, the ribbons S 形體態及 C 形身姿，故其線條對稱，身體重量均勻分佈於
descending from the coiffure to the shoulders, the necklace
with large pendant jewel, the long strands of pearls that 雙腿，因此年代應比本拍品略早，但兩者的鏤雕背光大同小
reach below the knees, and the heavy scarves that crisscross 異。兩尊哈佛雕像的光身均無透雕，其紋飾皆模鑄而成，然
the body, lap over the arms, and then fall gracefully along the 而其 S 形體態和 C 形身姿的曲線，均比本拍品和大都會珍藏
figure’s legs, terminating in so-called swallowtail folds at 明顯。永青文庫雕像的背光雖已佚失，但它與本伯品一樣，
the feet. Beginning modestly during the Northern Qi dynasty 也有微妙的 S 形曲線及明顯不對稱的珠串，兩者皆預示了繼
北齊 (C.E. 550–577) and becoming more emphatic during
the Sui in both stone and gilt bronze sculptures, openwork 往開來的唐代造像風格。
areas between face and dangling ribbons and between
torso and arms imply the possibility of movement, imbuing 上述作品皆是佛教藝術的巔峰之作，它們生動地詮釋了隋代
the figures with life. This figure’s slight S-curve posture 見證的重大藝術沿革和嬗變演進，更以影響唐代雕塑的方式，
and subtle C-curve pose cause the long chain of pearls to 徹底改變了中國佛教雕像的發展軌跡。

22 Contemplating The Divine – Fine Buddhist Art 正觀自在 — 佛教藝術精品