Page 88 - Bonhams September 10 2018 New York Chinese Works of Art

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A GILT-BRONZE AND CHAMPLEVE ENAMEL ‘ALMS’ BOWL
18th/19th century
Made in repousse with a compressed ovoid body and incurved The Buddhist alms bowl was one of the most revered relics in the
rim, the sides decorated in champlevé with elaborate stylized lotus ancient Buddhist world. Before representations of the Buddha’s
blossoms borne on scrolling foliage, the petals highlighted in different physical form became common, his presence was aniconically
colored enamels, the stems and curling leaves in shades of green, represented by various objects associated with him, such as an
all against a gilded chased wan fret ground, set between a ruyi band empty throne, the bodhi tree, and the wheel. One such object was
encircling the mouth and a lotus-petal lappet border around the the alms bowl, which has come to symbolize Buddha’s teachings on
gilded foot. nonattachment.
13in (33cm) diameter
The lotus, delicately rendered with leafy scrolls on the present
$12,000 - 18,000 lot, represents purity in Buddhism. With its large size and fine
workmanship, it is possible that this bowl was made as an offering to
十八/ 十九世紀 鏨胎琺瑯纏枝蓮紋缽 a temple or as a gift to an important abbot, as an alms bowl is one of
the few possessions a monk is permitted to own.

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