A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF MAITREYA MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGLE

finely cast seated in vajraparyankasana with hands in dharmachakra mudra holding the stems of lotus flowers, both bent in towards the face, with the chilug, the emblem of the Buddha of the Future, supported by the blossom at his right shoulder, wearing bodhisattva jewellery including sumptuous crown, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, armbands, an embellished girdle and anklets, the beaded lotus pedetal engraved with a six-character reign mark

Collection of Doris Wiener, acquired 1971.
Sotheby’s New York, 21st September 2007, lot 34.

As visible in the catalogue photo, there are minor dents and bruises to the extremities, and overall loss of gilding. The base plate has been detached and re-affixed with adhesive. Extensive oxidisation, especially to the base plate. Minor scratches to the hands and to the back.
"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."

This outstanding figure of the future Buddha Maitreya is representative of a group of Buddhist figures made on the orders of the Imperial Court in China during the first half of the 15th century that displayed a style influenced by the art of Tibet. During the Yuan dynasty, the authority of Mongol rulers had become closely associated with the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy and, as a result, their religious practice followed Tibetan rituals and ceremonies. The close link between the Ming government and the Tibetan Lamas continued in the fifteenth century and Buddhist implements, paintings and sculptures were often exchanged as gifts, thus resulting in a stylistic exchange as seen in the present figure.

Maitreya is visualised in this manifestation as a princely bodhisattva residing in Tushita heaven. The face is imbued with compassion, the essential quality of the bodhisattva, with a downward gaze and gentle smile. His hands are held in the teaching pose and hold stems of flowers from the naga-puspa, the tree beneath which Maitreya is believed to sit for his teachings on earth in a future aeon. The vessel that rests on the flower head at his right shoulder is said to signify his future reincarnation as a Brahman (see Christian Luczanits, Gandhara: The Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan, Mainz, 2009, p. 250).

A closely related figure is illustrated in Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, vol. 2, Hong Kong, 2001, pl. 343F; and another, from the collection of Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter, was sold in these rooms, 7th October 2010, lot 2144. Further Yongle statues representing Maitreya as a regal bodhisattva include one in the Aschmann collection, published in Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, pl. 147E; and another included in the Chang Foundation exhibition Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, cat. no. 22.

The exotic naga-puspa leaves falling from the stems at the shoulders of the sculptures identify the images with Maitreya and are quite distinct from the lotus or other foliage depicted on Yongle statues of different iconography.