Page 70 - 2021 March 15th Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art, Bonhams NYC New York

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A RARE SILK AND METAL WRAPPED THREAD EMBROIDERED
PANEL OF MANJUSRI
Early Qing Dynasty
Embroidered on a satin ground with seed stitch, satin stitch and
couched metal foil wrapped threads to portray Manjusri beneath a
celestial canopy strung with ribbons, the figure seated in lalitasana on a
recumbent mythical beast, with one foot on a lotus, the hands holding
a scroll, the face with a solemn expression given a three-dimensional
effect by the batting-filled nose, mounted with pale blue silk borders
with reinforced backing, the reverse with an inked inscription reading
wen su zuo.
36 3/4 x 19 3/4in (93 x 44.5cm)

$20,000 - 30,000
清早期 刺繡文殊菩薩掛屏

A very similar embroidered Guanyin hanging was sold in these rooms
21 July 2020 lot 83. However here Manjusri sits alone in a pose of
Royal Ease holding a scroll, presumably a Buddhist sutra, and the
attendants are absent.

Embroidered images such as this require a particular effort of time and
skill to prepare. In some places the design has been highlighted by the
use of precious metal, employed in the Chinese fashion by wrapping
gold or silver leaf on paper around silk thread. The heavy stitching
throughout makes a deliberate use of the sheen of silk to enhance
the plasticity of the image and, on the nose, even employs three
dimensional modeling to convey a life-like effect.

A pair of textiles in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum,
(accession no’s: 62.97.51 and 62.97.52) shows a remarkable
conformity with the present example in technique, size, style, and -
with minor disparities - richness of materials.
The only other comparitive embroidery of a much earlier date (Song
Dynasty) is illustrated in Masterpieces of Chinese Silk Tapestry and
Embroidery in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1971, no. 33 (fig. 4).

68 | BONHAMS