Page 141 - Fine Chinese, Japanese and Buddhist Art September 28, 2018 Galerie Zacke

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A RARE POLYCHROME CARVED WOOD FIGURE OF
‘GUANYIN OF THE LION ROAR’, MING DYNASTY
Carved of several jointed pieces of hardwood, original
polychrome lacquer painting
China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644)

The Bodhisattva seated in a position of royal ease on a
recumbent, roaring Buddhist lion with menacing fangs,
wearing loosely draped robes and a long flowing scarf
falling around her shoulders and arms, her face with
meditative expression framed by long pendulous ears and
hair piled high behind a tiara, she wears a floral necklace.
The ‘third eye’ on the forehead possibly once inlaid with
now lost gemstone. The statue set on an oval base.
Guanyin depicted in the posture known as the ‘royal
ease’ became standard representation of the Bodhisattva
of Compassion in paradise after the tenth century.
This sculpture represents ‘Guanyin of the Lion Roar’
(Simhanada Avalokitesvara), with the roar symbolizing
the moment of transcendent understanding and
Guanyin’s supernatural wisdom.
The present figure is particularly fine in its modelling,
with Guanyin conveying a sense of profound thought and
wisdom while the lion with its mouth wide open showing
ferocious strength. The two figures together represent an
image of controlled power and stability.

Shape: Sculptural
Weight: 10 kilograms
Dimensions: Height 83 cm
Condition: Original unrestored condition. Age cracks,
losses, deteriorations. Very impressive condition given the
age of this statue
Provenance: The Reinhold Hofstätter collection, Vienna,
and thence by decent. Acquired before 1980

Literature comparison: See a wood figure of Guanyin
seated on a lion, attributed to the 13th and 14th
centuries, in the exhibition Ancient Chinese Sculpture,
Eskenazi, London, 1981, cat.no. 15.

Auction result comparison: FINE CHINESE CERAMICS
AND WORKS OF ART. Sotheby’s, 12 JULY 2006,
LONDON, lot 15. (for a statue with the same subject)
Art d’Asie. Christies, Paris, 11 June 2008, lot 291. (for
another statue with the same subject)

䦨㚱㖶ẋ⼑丒㛐晽”䋭⏤奨枛”⁷
䠔㛐晽⇣炻⼑㺮
ᷕ⚳炻㖶ẋ (1368-1644)
⑩䚠列⤥炻䃉ᾖ墄
⤏⛘⇑䵕ḇ䲵Reinhold Hofstätter㓞啷⑩炻⭞㕷⁛㈧炻㕤
1980⸜⇵⍾⼿

EstimateġEUR 3.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.500,-

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