Page 82 - Bonhams Cornette Saint Cyr, Property from the estate of Jean-Pierre Rousset (1936-2021)

Elegantly proportioned and superbly carved, the present head is a
remarkable testament to the high standards achieved in Buddhist
portraiture during the Northern Qi period, one of the most vibrant
periods in the history of Chinese art. At this time, Buddhism flourished
in China, with several shrines being constructed under the emperor’s
personal auspices and eminent monks were appointed as
state preceptors.
Buddhist art experienced a glorious moment following the
dissemination of foreign ideas and styles and copious financial
resources were devoted to the construction of Buddhist caves whose
marvellous sculptures combined powerful and sensuous modelling
with subtlety of expression. These features were likely to have derived
from the contemporary Indian style of the Gupta period, which was
highly regarded by the Qi aristocracy for its exotic traits.

The benevolent expression, conveyed by gently downcast eyes
and gentle smile of this majestic head, indicate that it represents
Avalokiteshvara, also known as Guanyin, the benevolent Bodhisattva
of Mercy. In Buddhist faith, images of deities served as important foci
of worship and promoted significant devotional acts, which contributed
to the devotee’s personal growth towards spiritual liberation.
Venerated in Indian Buddhism as the embodiment of the Compassion
of the Buddha, Avalokiteshvara (known as Guanyin in China) is
described in the ‘Lotus Sutra’, as capable of hearing all mankind,
striving endlessly to help those offering prayers, transforming at will
and appearing in more than thirty human guises to expound Buddhist
teaching to devotees.

Compare with a related limestone head of a bodhisattva, Northern Qi
dynasty, from the Nelson Atkins Museum, Kansas City (acc.no.F99-1).
See also a limestone head of a bodhisattva, Northern Qi dynasty, from
the Museum of Art, San Diego, illustrated by K.Tsiang, Echoes of the
Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan, Chicago, 2010,
p.230, fig.32. See also a related monumental sandstone standing
figure of Guanyin, Northern Qi dynasty, in the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, New York, illustrated by A.F.Howard, et al, Chinese Sculpture, New
Haven, 2006, p.288, fig.3.92.
Image courtesy of the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington DC See a smaller white marble head of Mahasthamaprapta, Northern Qi
dynasty (34cm high), which was sold at Bonhams London, The Ollivier
Collection of Early Chinese Art, 8 November 2018, lot 31.

80 | BONHAMS