Reflection and Enlightenment: Chinese Buddhist Gilt-Bronzes from the Jane and Leopold Swergold Collection

Reflection and Enlightenment: Chinese Buddhist Gilt-Bronzes from the Jane and Leopold Swergold Collection

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 3520. A gilt-bronze figure of Dvarapala Tang dynasty | 唐 鎏金銅力士立像.

A gilt-bronze figure of Dvarapala Tang dynasty | 唐 鎏金銅力士立像

Auction Closed

October 12, 12:42 PM GMT

Estimate

40,000 - 60,000 HKD

Lot Details

Description

A gilt-bronze figure of Dvarapala

Tang dynasty

唐 鎏金銅力士立像


dynamically cast in the form of Dvarapala, a male gate or entrance guardian, his features muscular with an imposing, virile stature, both arms flexed, broad, and sturdy with a protruding left shoulder, the face with a powerful expression, eyes half-closed, the feet parted in a confident, protective stance, deep etchings to the upper body garment emulating the likes of body armor, the robe scrunched just below the knee to optimise the deity’s agility and range of motion

h. 7.6 cm

Vallin Galleries, Connecticut.

Beatrice Chan, 'Reflection and Enlightenment: Chinese Buddhist Gilt Bronzes from the Jane and Leopold Swergold Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston', Arts of Asia, January/February 2018, pp. 58-65.


Beatrice Chan，〈Reflection and Enlightenment: Chinese Buddhist Gilt Bronzes from the Jane and Leopold Swergold Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston〉，《Arts of Asia》，2018年1至2月，頁58-65

This finely cast small figure with strong muscular features depicts a dvarapala, a male gate or entrance guardian figure, typically depicted supporting a ledge, or the ferocious lokapala or tianhuang (Heavenly King) that were placed in pairs to protect the four corners of the universe. Traditionally dvarapala were portrayed as frightening creatures with strong masculine bodies. The present figure is a fine example of a sinicised version of the guardian, which is derived from Gupta-period (320-550) imagery that shows dvarapala in human-form and adorned with accessories.