A SUPERBLY CARVED WOOD FIGURE OF A SEATED BODHISATTVA SONG DYNASTY

well carved seated regally in vajrasana, the Bodhisattva rendered serene in meditation with the right hand held before the chest in shunimudra and the left avakashamudra, depicted dressed in layered robes and billowing sashes cascading in folds especially around the slender waist, the clothing falling loosely around the chest and exposing the elaborately carved necklaces echoing the partially exposed armbands, the serene facial expression detailed with half-open eyes and a gentle smile, framed by a pair of long, pendulous earlobes adorned with ornamental earrings and a neatly drawn-up topknot, traces of gilding, wood stand

As visible in the catalogue photo and as expected of a wood sculpture of this age and fragility, there are expected age cracks and shrinkage to the wood, with minor associated losses to the fragile extremities. However, structurally the statue has been preserved in unusually good condition with significant traces of the original pigmentation and gold paint preserved. There is an old indistinct dealer's label on the reverse of the sculpture, Raufast, an early 20th century Paris dealership.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Intricately carved with neatly combed hair and elaborate jewellery, the traces of gilding and pigment hint at the original sumptuousness and striking visual effect it would have made on temple visitors. They would have encountered this image in an elaborate almost stage-like setting with painted murals covering the walls, along with many other sculptures and representations of deities and arhats. The finest sculptures of this period were carved of wood, covered with gesso, painted with bright pigments and sometimes inset with jewels and gilded to create elegantly animated, richly adorned figures. Many Buddhist temples from the 11th to 13th centuries survive intact, testimony to the glorious integration of architecture, painting and sculpture that characterises Buddhist temple art.

A bodhisattva is a being who has attained enlightenment but, motivated by great compassion, decides to delay personal salvation until all sentient beings are saved. In this figure, the continued engagement with the world is represented by the rich jewellery which symbolises the material world. The half-open eyes and gentle smile also represent this figure’s approachability, with the right hand raised in shunimudra, or the ‘seal of patience’. The middle finger represents aakash (infinite space) and courage to hold duty and responsibility, while the thumb represents fire and divine nature. When placed together it symbolises and encourages patience, discernment, focus and discipline.

The present sculpture belongs to a period when the bodhisattva image had not yet turned sweet and feminine, and reflects the ethereal, transcendent figure typical of early Buddhist images. A slightly larger figure of a bodhisattva, also cross legged but with hands in kartarimudra, was sold in our Paris rooms, 15th December 2011, lot 108; and another, but of much larger size and more elaborate robes, was sold in our London rooms, 15th April 1980, lot 63, and included in the exhibition The Art of Contemplation. Religious Art from Private Collections, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 91, from the Liang-sheng T’ang collection, where it is attributed to the Jin dynasty.