A RARE LIMESTONE BUDDHIST TRIAD STELE NORTHERN ZHOU DYNASTY

finely carved with a central figure of Shakyamuni Buddha seated in dhyanasana upon a block plinth, his right hand in abhayamudra and left hand in urnamudra holding the end of his robe, his long robes draped from the shoulder in undulating folds over his legs and swept in double swags over the plinth, all set against a mandorla edged with radiant petal lappets around the head, further flanked by two standing bodhisattvas wearing long pleated robes and trailing scarves, one holding a lotus bud with both hands joined at the chest, the other with his pendent left arm grasping a rosary and right hand raised in vitarka mudra, each with a rounded face gently defined with bow-shaped eyes half open in meditation, a small bud mouth and a broad nose, below smooth hair covering the domed ushnisha, the bodhisattvas crowned with diadems around their curly hair, the stone of pale buff colour with traces of old white and red pigments, smoothly polished to a glossy sheen on the reverse revealing a yellow surface mottled with black specks, wood stand

Acquired between the 1950s and 60s.

The front right corner is truncated as visible in the photograph in the catalogue. There are some old chips to the front left corner of the base and along the edge of the mandorla. There is some wear consistent with age. Apart from this there is no apparent recent damages or restorations.
"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."

Northern Zhou (AD 557-581) Buddha figures, well known from the cave temples at Xumishan, located northwest of Guyuan county in present Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China, are distinguished by their solemnity and characteristics that include stocky and masculine features, square faces, large noses and thick lips. The overall impression is that of a somber yet contemplative and calm nature. While some of these traits are evident in the present work, this triad stands out for the almost child-like facial features of the Buddha and the two bodhisattvas. The facial expressions seen here are more gentle and charming, making the triad a rare and individual example from this period.

See a related Buddhist triad stele, from the collection of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku), illustrated in Rokuchō no bijutsu, Tokyo, 1976, pl. 255, together with a seated Buddha figure of the same period, from the collection of Kyoto University, pl. 256. Four comparable Northern Zhou period stelae are included in Matsubara Saburō, Chūgoku bukkyō chōkoku shi kenkyū/Chinese Buddhist Sculpture, Tokyo, 1966, pls. 191-192; and for further examples of contemporary carvings see a standing bodhisattva figure included in the exhibition Buddhist Stone Carvings in the Northern Dynasties, National Museum of History, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 51, together with a seated bodhisattva, cat. no. 52; and a standing Buddha figure dated in accordance with AD 580, in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Ann Paludan in Chinese Sculpture. A Great Tradition, Chicago, 2006, fig. 138.