A BRONZE FIGURE OF SIMHANADA AVALOKITESHVARA, THE LION VOICED LORD, MING DYNASTY

拍品描述

A BRONZE FIGURE OF SIMHANADA AVALOKITESHVARA, THE LION VOICED LORD, MING DYNASTY China, 1368-1644. Heavily cast, seated in lalitasana upon a recumbent Buddhist lion supported on a lotus base, both hands resting on the knees. The finely pleated robes fall in deep folds between the legs, with flowing scarves looping around the arms and elaborate beaded jewelry adorning the chest. The serene face is finely modeled with heavy-lidded, downcast eyes, a slender nose, and gently smiling lips, framed by elongated earlobes with ornate earrings. The neatly arranged hair is secured by a tall openwork tiara centered by a seated bodhisattva. Dimensions: Height 24.3 cm In this form, the Bodhisattva of Perfected Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, can be invoked to cure illness. His iconography is derived from the Mahayana Avatamsaka Sutra. He is depicted in the posture of royal ease and wears an ornate headdress with a seated image of Amitabha Buddha – a reference to Avalokiteshvara as an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha. His right arm rests on the knee while the left hand supports the weight of his body. He rides on a lion that turns upward and gazes at the Bodhisattva attentively. The unknown artist created the body language of the God of Mercy as introvert and meditative. Even the flamboyant garment and floating sashes seem not to distract the bodhisattva neither the worshipper from its sole goal to extend and to receive the blessings of the god. A bodhisattva is actually a being who achieved Enlightenment, but out of compassion, will not enter Nirvana or total extinction of the self, being the ultimate goal of all Buddhists, until every living creature has been brought along this path of Enlightenment. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related bronze figure of Samantabhadra riding an elephant, dated to the Zhengde reign (1506-1521), in the National Museum of China. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s London, 14 May 2010, lot 550 Price: GBP 5,250 approx. EUR 9,700 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, and size (24 cm). Note the different subject. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Koller Zurich, 13 June 2017, lot 178 Price: CHF 5,625 or approx. EUR 7,700 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, and subject. Note the related size (23 cm).

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