Page 309 - 2018 Hong Kong Important Chieese Art

This extremely fine silver portrait lama is one of a rare 芸芸西藏佛像中，有匠人之名可考者寥寥，此銀像可知
group that can be confidently attributed to the 16th century 為十六世紀 Karma Rinchen 製，實為鳳毛麟角。銀像可
sculptor Karma Rinchen. It depicts Thongwa Donden, the
辨識為第六世噶瑪巴通瓦敦殿，活佛頭戴傳世黑寶冠，端
Sixth Karmapa Lama adorned in the legendary black hat,
seated on an elaborate cushion with vajra and ghanta, raised 坐於坐墊，手持金剛橛與金剛鈴，似在授道。工藝嫻熟精
in a gesture of religious discourse. The precision of the 妙，錦緞刻畫細緻，五觀輪廓柔和細膩，面相慈悲，不
modelling is superb, with elaborate folding robes and a serene 失莊嚴，尚見原髹金漆，尤為珍罕。此像連臺座，底刻
enlightened expression on the sensitively rendered face, which 銘文。
retains traces of original gilding. The sculpture is preserved in
exceptionally good condition, complete with its original base 銀在喜馬拉雅地區價值不菲，以銀鑄像因而寥寥無幾。從
plate, intricately engraved with a visvavajra.
現藏博物館或私人收藏之西藏器物可考，活佛銀像尤喜以
Silver sculpture in Tibetan antiquity was created at great 噶瑪巴及夏瑪巴為題。有一類例，為菩薩道收藏，尺寸與
expense and as such, was significantly less common than
此像無異，錄於 David Weldon 和 Jane Casey Singer，
casting in bronze. Based on published examples of Tibetan
silver sculpture in private collections and public collections, 《The Sculptural Heritage of Tibet: Buddhist Art in the
silver appears to have been a favored medium of the Nyingjei Lam Collection》，倫敦，1999年，頁188-9，
Karmapa and Shamarpa lineages. Another silver portrait 圖版48。銀像雖雕第八世噶瑪巴．米覺多傑，但其鑄作、
figure illustrated in David Weldon and Jane Casey Singer, 面相、錦飾，皆盡與此像相似，無疑出自同一人手。另
The Sculptural Heritage of Tibet: Buddhist Art in the Nyingjei
Lam Collection, London, 1999, p. 188-9, pl. 48, depicts Mikyo 有一例，雕第九世噶瑪巴．旺秋多傑，尺寸、風格亦盡
Dorje, the Eighth Karmapa Lama. Of identical size to the 相同，錄於〈Chronological Study of Dated Sculptures
current figure, it also demonstrates very close similarities from Tibet and the Himalayas, 7th-17th Century〉，
in the precise style of the casting, the treatment of the face, 《Oriental Art》，卷46（2），2000年，頁21，圖18a及
crown, drapery and cushion. Clearly it is by the same artisan.
18b。其銘文風格與此像坐墊下所刻相似，以辨認活佛及
Another silver portrait lama of the same size and identical
匠人之名。三尊銀像皆盡相似，無疑同為 Karma Rinchen
style, illustrated by Amy Heller, ‘Chronological Study of Dated
Sculptures from Tibet and the Himalayas, 7th-17th Century’, 所出，能如此確認匠人身分，在西藏佛像中誠為難得。
Oriental Art, vol. 46 (2), 2000, p. 21, figs 18a and 18b, depicts
the Ninth Karmapa. What is important is that the inscription Karma Rinchen 曾鑄其他銀像，如一銘文確吉旺秋坐像，
on the figure of the Ninth Karmapa, similarly incised on the 為第六世夏瑪巴，現為拉薩 Jokhang 或 Tsuglakhang 所
reverse of the cushion as on the current figure, not only names 藏，載於烏爾裡希．馮．施羅德，《西藏佛教雕塑》，香
the subject but also the maker, stating that it was created by
港，2001年，卷2，頁1218，圖版336A-C。亦可參考一
Karma Rinchen. Its remarkable similarity to the current figure
確吉旺秋坐像，錄於 Karl Debreczeny，《The Black Hat
and the Nyingjei Lam Karmapa Lama, all clearly by the same
hand, enables a confident identification of the artist, a rare Eccentric: Artistic Visions of the Tenth Karmapa》，紐
occurrence in Tibetan lama portraiture. 約，2012年，頁66-67，圖版2.1，2017年3月15日售於紐
For another silver portrait lamas by Karma Rinchen, see an 約蘇富比，編號221。噶瑪巴及夏瑪巴之活佛，由十三世
inscribed figure of Chokyi Wangchuk, the Sixth Shamarpa 紀初已有互相認證的傳統，在位的一方與新登位的一方為
Lama, from the Jokhang/Tsuglakhang collection in Lhasa,
師徒關係。
depicting the sixth Shamarpa Chökyi Wangchuk, illustrated in
Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Vol. II, Tibet 通瓦敦殿（Thongwa Donden，1416-1453年）生於西藏
and China, Hong Kong, 2001, p. 1218, pl. 336A-C. Compare
康區，乃藏傳佛教噶舉派第六世噶瑪巴，終身致力密教儀
also a silver portrait lama of the Sixth Shamarpa Lama
典、發行經籍、重修西藏佛寺。紐約魯賓藝術博物館藏十
illustrated in Karl Debreczeny, The Black Hat Eccentric: Artistic
Visions of the Tenth Karmapa, New York, 2012, pp. 66-67, fig. 六世紀唐卡（藏品編號F1997.39.2），描繪通瓦敦殿與蔣
2.1, and sold in our New York rooms, 15th March 2017, lot 221. 白桑波（Jampal Zangpo）對坐，頭戴黑寶冠，手結說法
The tulkus of the Shamarpa and Karmapa lineages have had a
印（圖一）。
historical relationship of spiritual mentorship and reciprocity
since the late 13th century.
Thongwa Donden (1416-1453), the Sixth Karmapa Lama, head
of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, was born in Kham.
He dedicated his life to composing tantric rituals, printing
books and restoring many monasteries in Tibet. A 16th century
thangka in the Rubin Museum of Art, accession no. F1997.39.2
(fig. 1) shows him seated next to Jampal Zangpo, with his
hands held to the heart in the mudra of teaching, wearing his
distinctive hat.

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 307