Northern Qi Dynasty Painted Sandstone Stele Carved with One Buddha, Two Bodhisattvas and Dragon Reliefs

拍品描述

Dimensions: Height 62cm (24.41in), Base Width 48cm (18.90in), Northern Qi Dynasty (6th Century A.D.)Condition & Provenance: The sandstone stele retains its main body intact, only minor edge chipping on the upper left corner without massive cracks. The central Buddha and two attendant bodhisattva figures are fully preserved with distinct facial features and unworn robe carvings. Original mineral pigments of red and white still adhere firmly to the stone matrix with no modern repainting. Twin dragon reliefs at the bottom are undamaged, lotus petals and radial lines on the halo stay crisp. The reverse side shows natural uniform stone weathering, no artificial grinding or restoration work. This artifact comes from a private collection in Los Angeles, California. It was purchased at the Los Angeles Asian Antique Fair in 1992 and kept within one family for over 30 years, complete with original gallery collection documentation.Description: This sandstone Buddhist stele is a museum-grade masterpiece of Northern Dynasties stone carving art, crafted from a single piece of fine local sandstone. It follows the standard Northern Qi tablet silhouette, wider at the top and tapering down with dual curved foot cutouts at the base for temple worship display. The central standing Shakyamuni Buddha features a full ushnisha covered in tight spiral hair curls, a soft rounded face with lowered eyes showing the gentle merciful temperament typical of Northern Qi Buddhist statuary. He wears a double-collared kasaya with fluid, flowing drapery lines clinging close to the body, embodying the famous "water-silk robe" carving style of early Chinese Buddhist art. The Buddha holds the abhaya mudra in his right hand and varada mudra in his left, standing barefoot on an upturned lotus pedestal. Flanking the main Buddha are two attendant bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. Each wears an ornate crown, layered pearl necklaces and long layered skirts, standing on cloud lotus platforms with serene soft facial expressions and exquisite delicate carving details. The mandorla behind the figures is layered with radial vertical lines and surrounding rows of lotus petals for ornate depth. Twin auspicious dragon reliefs coil around swirling cloud motifs on the lower left and right sides, featuring dynamic unrestrained lines that are iconic of Northern Qi stone decoration. Original ancient mineral paint layers remain across the robes, lotus platforms and decorative patterns, with natural cinnabar red and chalk white pigments bonded directly to the stone without later touch-ups or recarving. Surviving Northern Qi Buddhist stone carvings are extremely scarce worldwide, and intact full steles with original pigment, complete one-buddha-two-bodhisattva composition plus dragon reliefs are exceptionally rare. This piece displays fully mature carving techniques and distinct period aesthetics, widely sought after by collectors of Buddhist stone sculpture on America’s West Coast, holding both institutional museum exhibition value and long-term investment worth.

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