Page 38 - Chinese Art Auction April 25, 2020 2020 Galerie Zacke

35
A RARe yellOW MARble FIguRe OF The collapse of the Wei dynasty and resultant split of China into the
AVAlOKITeshVARA, NORTheRN QI dyNAsTy Northern Qi (550-577) dynasty in the east and the Northern Zhou (557-581)
dynasty in the west, had a profound influence on Buddhist doctrine and
China, 550-577. Elegantly carved in the form of Avalokiteshvara art in China. While the Gandharan and Mathuran schools of Kushan India
standing sturdily on a round lotus base supported by a rectangular had influenced the art of the Northern Wei, Northern Qi carvers turned to
plinth, the figure portrayed with both elbows bent, adorned in robes the sensuous sculptures of the Gupta School for inspiration. This approach
cascading in voluminous folds, the serene expression framed by a to the human body is best displayed in the sculptures of the Northern and
cowl. Southern Xiantangshan caves, situated between Henan and Hebei, close to
the capital ye, and in votive statues such as the present. These sculptures
feature rounder figures dressed in unobtrusive elegant robes, lacking the
Provenance: From an old Swiss private collection. heavy straight folds of drapery of the preceding dynasty, and a naturalistic,
condition: Extensive wear, encrustations and weathering with areas more benevolent approach to the rendering of facial expressions.
of erosion. Minor losses. Old and visible repair to two vertical fissures.
Overall condition exactly as expected from a statue of this age.
罕見漢白玉觀音立像，北齊
中國，550-577。觀音站立矩形底座上的蓮花座上，手肘彎曲，長褶疊疊的長袍，面
Weight: 1021.7 g 容慈祥。
Dimensions: Height 22.3 cm
來源：瑞士私人收藏
品相：廣汎磨損，局部結殼、風化侵蝕。 輕微缺失。 兩個垂直裂縫曾進行修復。總
This rare statue displays the major artistic developments of the Northern Qi 體狀況完全符合這個時代雕像。
dynasty, one of the most vibrant periods in the history of Chinese lapidary 重量：1021.7 克
work, when carvers began incorporating a heightened awareness of the 尺寸：高22.3 厘米
human body in their works. The rounded contours clothed in lightweight
robes evidence this first attempt at naturalism and mark an important shift estimate euR 1.200,-
from the strict linearity of the preceding Northern Wei dynasty. Starting price EUr 600,-

33