Page 118 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Tantra Buddhost Art

fig. 1
Gilt-copper figure of Bodhisattva Manjushri, Nepal,
14th century
Berti Aschmann Foudation
© Rietberg Museum, Zurich

medium of the Mongol court, is drawn in the Newar style Born in China of missionary parents and fluent in Chinese,
seen in Tibetan paintings associated with Sakya monastery, Mr. Ronning was widely regarded as Canada’s leading expert
see James Watt and Ann E. Wardwell, When Silk was Gold, on China. Mr. Ronning carried out a confidential mission to
New York, 1997, cat. no. 25. And another Yuan period kesi Hanoi in 1966 in an attempt to get peace talks going between
mandala integrates pure Nepalese scrolling vine motifs with the United States and North Vietnam. Mr. Ronning was made
landscape done in the classical Chinese blue-green style; a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest
ibid., cat. no. 26. All three works of art are unmistakeably honor, in 1971 and was awarded the Order of Excellence from
Chinese while subtly incorporating Nepalese characteristics. Alberta in February. For further biographical information, see
The Manjushri meanwhile exemplifies the indigenous Newar Brian L. Evans, The Remarkable Chester Ronning: Proud Son
sculptural aesthetic of the fourteenth century: a sculpture of China, Alberta, 2013 and also Audrey Ronning Topping and
made for Newar or Tibetan patrons in the prevailing Nepalese Lawrence R. Sullivan, China Mission: A Personal History from
style of elegantly modelled, richly gilded and bejewelled the Last Imperial Dynasty to the People’s Republic, Baton
statues imbued with spirituality. Indeed the type of sculpture Rouge, 2013.
with which Aniko would have been familiar in his homeland,
and that Phagspa would have sought to fulfil Khubilai’s
commission at Sakya monastery. This divine statue remains
one of the finest examples of fourteenth century Nepalese
sculpture, and a document to the artistic genius that brought
renown to Newar artists throughout the Himalayas, and at the
imperial courts of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

116 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比