AN IMPORTANT TURQUOISE-INLAID GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA AKSHOBHYA, TIBETAN-CHINESE, 15TH CENTURY, DE-ACCESSED BY THE CHANG FOUNDATION

拍品描述

AN IMPORTANT TURQUOISE-INLAID GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA AKSHOBHYA, TIBETAN-CHINESE, 15TH CENTURY, DE-ACCESSED BY THE CHANG FOUNDATION Published & Exhibited: James Spencer, Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1993, p. 40, no. 13 (dated 17th-18th century). Expert’s note: James Spencer, in his publication for the Chang Foundation, dated the present figure to the 17th–18th century. This dating, however, must now be definitively revised to the 15th century following the identification of a second cast of the same model in the Tsuglakang Temple, Lhasa, as illustrated in the literature comparison below. The two figures are nearly identical in casting, dimensions, and overall composition, differing only in minor details of the jewelry and in the absence of turquoise inlays on the Lhasa example. Given the generally high degree of accuracy of Spencer’s publication, the discovery of this closely corresponding second cast represents a significant research finding and provides compelling evidence for correcting the dating of the present figure to the 15th century. Literature comparison: Compare a near-identical gilt-bronze figure of Buddha Akshobhya, also dated 15th century, 21 cm high, in the Tsuglakang Temple, Lhasa, and illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 57398. Finely cast, seated in dhyanasana on a double-lotus base with beaded rims, the right hand lowered in bhumisparsha mudra, and the left hand held above the lap with the palm upturned. The lithe body dressed in a long dhoti tied with beaded bands around the waist, adorned with luxuriant necklaces and armlets, inlaid in turquoise, while the shoulders are framed by flowing sashes. The face with a serene expression, marked by heavy-lidded, downcast eyes centered by a large round urna above the gently arched brows, a broad nose, and full lips forming a subtle smile, all flanked by long earlobes suspending circular earrings. The hair is neatly arranged in tight curls covering the domed ushnisha, which is surmounted by a bud-shaped jewel, surmounted by a floral crown. Dimensions: Height 20.8 cm The present image of Akshobhya is characteristic of fifteenth-century Tibetan sculpture and reflects the high degree of refinement achieved in Buddhist bronze casting under the influence of the imperial foundries in Beijing during the reign of the Yongle Emperor. The elongated, slender proportions of the torso, delicate physiognomy, and finely articulated hands are characteristic of this sculptural idiom, as is the scarf draped over the shoulders and falling across the arms. The facial features, however, are more distinctly Nepalese in character, while the treatment of the tiara is somewhat softer than the crisply delineated forms associated with the imperial workshops. By contrast, the use of turquoise inlay to embellish the substantial ornaments reflects a distinctly Tibetan aesthetic preference. Emperor Yongle (1403-1425), a devout Buddhist himself, bestowed generous patronage to Buddhist monasteries and artistic ateliers, fostering the production of artworks depicting Tibetan Buddhist deities and imagery in a highly refined style, executed with the highest level of technical mastery. Gilt bronzes were commissioned from the Imperial workshops in Beijing for personal religious practices and as gifts for the many Tibetan emissaries invited to the court. Akshobhya’s name literally means ‘Immovable One’. As each Transcendental Buddha adopts one of the canonical hand gestures (mudras) referring to a key moment in Shakyamuni's life, it is apt that Akshobhya should recall Shakyamuni's unshakeable determination against the armies and temptations of Mara. In mandalas relating to his ‘vajra’ clan, and the Unexcelled Yoga tantras (Anuttarayoga), he occupies the center, but in the earliest tantric mandalas where the Five Transcendental Buddhas first appear, he is the Lord of the eastern quadrant, and represents the transmutation of anger into wisdom. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 21 March 2008, lot 652 Price: USD 61,000 or approx. EUR 81,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of casting, and gilding, with similar treatment of the drapery and jewelry. Note the related size (22 cm).

图片