Page 15 - Christie's July 9th 2020 Hong Kong Buddhist Art Under Empire

fig. 1 Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, pp. 58-59, no. 22
圖一 《金銅佛造像圖錄》，台北，1993 年，頁 58-59，圖版 22 號

2702 Continued

The present figure belongs to an exceptional group of finely cast 彌勒頭戴五葉寳冠，頭頂束高髮髻。雙手結說法印，身佩珍寶瓔珞。手
Buddhist figures made by the Imperial workshop of the early 15th 握蓮莖經腕臂至肩與耳齊，右肩蓮瓣置甘露寶瓶，為彌勒菩薩身份之重
century. Figures from this group are distinguished by their excellent
quality of casting, rich gilding, and the outstanding execution of 要標誌。雙足結跏趺坐於蓮花座上，蓮座為半月狀束腰形式，座上陰刻
details. In the preceding century under the Yuan Dynasty, the authority 「大明永樂年施」款。
of Mongol rulers had become closely associated with Tibetan Buddhist
or Lamaist rituals. The tradition of Lamaist art continued into the Ming 永樂、宣德造像由宮廷御用工匠塑造，主要賞賜給西藏上層僧侶。此類
period and prevailed in works of art such as the present example. 造像以黃銅鑄造，質地細密，造型雍容華貴，注重細節處理，為歷代宮
Missions to Tibet were sent during the early part of the Ming dynasty 廷造像中最為精美的一類。本尊彌勒菩薩像的面相俊美，雙眼細長上翹，
and sought to maintain good relations with the Tibetan lamas, and 蓮瓣細長飽滿，保持了印度和尼泊爾造像遺風，與永樂後期趨漢化的五
images such as the present lot appear to have been made as gifts that
were exchanged on such visits. 官不同，應屬永樂前期之作品。
The upturned eyes and the long, narrow petals on the lotus base 彌勒為梵語音譯，意譯「慈氏」。據《彌勒上生經》和《彌勒下生成佛經》
suggest that the present figure was made during the early part of the 中的記載，彌勒出生於古印度南天竺劫波利村大婆羅貴族家族，現為兜
Yongle reign. Figures from the later Yongle reign generally have rounder 率天內院的菩薩，未來為釋迦摩尼之繼任者。比較一尊造型極為近似的
facial contours with less arched eyebrows and eyes, and broader petals 永樂款彌勒造像，著錄於鴻禧美術館出版《金銅佛造像圖錄》，台北，
on the base. Very few other gilt-bronze figures of Maitreya from the
early 15th century have been published. Compare to a very similar 1993 年，圖版 22 號（圖一）。另比較在西藏兩尊臉部泥金的永樂彌勒
Yongle-marked figure of Maitreya illustrated in Buddhist Images 造像，一尊位於布達拉宮合金殿，見《Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet》，
in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, pp. 58-59, no. 22 (fig. 1); and two other 第二冊，香港，2001 年，頁 1236，圖版 XX-1 及 XX-2，一尊藏於大
Yongle-marked figures of Maitreya in Tibet with cold-gilded faces, 昭寺，見前書，頁 1250-1251，圖版 343F。
one displayed in the Li ma Iha khang of the Potala Palace, illustrated
by Ulrich von Schroeder in Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, vol. II, Tibet
& China, Hong Kong, 2001, p. 1236, figs. XX-1, XX-2; the other in the
collection of the Gtsug-lag-khang Temple, see ibid., pp. 1250-1251,
no. 343F.

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