明永樂 鎏金銅烏仗那式彌勒佛立像 《大明永樂年施》款

standing with hands in abhaya and varada mudra, gestures of reassurance and bestowal of charity, his serene face with crisply portrayed features highlighted in gold, red and black pigment, his head with pronounced usnisa and covered with tightly curled whorls with traces of blue pigment, wearing a full length flowing robe draped elegantly from the shoulders and falling in long undulous folds with a concentric 'U'-shaped pattern at his chest, standing barefoot on a circular lotus pedestal, inscribed with the mark, Da Ming Yongle nian shi, base engraved with a visvavajra

Speelman 收藏
香港蘇富比2006年10月7日，編號803

Charles F. Chicarelli，《Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Introduction》，清邁，2004年，頁46
David Weldon，〈The Perfect Image: The Speelman Collection of Yongle and Xuande Buddhist Icons〉，《Arts of Asia》，1996年，頁64-73

The figure is in excellent condition and the original gilding is unusually thick and brilliant. The face of the figure retains in most places the layer of lacquer from its consecration, although with a couple of flakes that are visible in the catalogue illustration showing the pristine gilding beneath.
"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."

這尊未來佛彌勒佛像精緻迷人，展現無畏印和與願印的立姿身形，為中國早期傳統佛陀造像獻上致高的敬意。佛像通肩式之外袍，自肩膀垂直而下，衣褶如波浪流動。其風格特徵，早見於五世紀初，被稱為烏仗那式（Udayana Style）。參考一立佛像，有銘文著明為彌勒，並紀年公元443，見 Denise Patry Leidy，〈Notes on a Sculpture of Buddha Maitreya Dated 486 in The Metropolitan Museum of Art〉，《Oriental Art》，2005-6年冬，頁28，圖12。烏仗那，傳說乃一尊印度檀香佛像，相信古曾送往中國供奉，惜已佚失。今之謂烏仗那式，仿效公元一世紀犍陀羅（Gandhara）石雕造像與早期中亞文化，其衣袍流暢的線條反映出古典藝術的深遠影響。對比克里夫蘭藝術博物館藏坐佛所穿袍服，見 Stanislaw J Czuma，《Kushan Sculpture: Images from Early India》，克里夫蘭，1985年，頁72，編號16。此類袍服衣褶明顯之印度佛教造像，風行於此朝聖旅者不絕之地，如五世紀初法顯（399-416）便曾造訪此地。也有印度佛教大師遠來東方，雕像風格或藉此傳入中國。美國紐約大都會博物館所藏一件極為重要的鎏金銅佛，便可見證此造像風格的傳播，經由銘記辨識其身份是彌勒菩薩，年代則為公元486年。其手持無畏印和與願印，身穿由雙肩下垂且帶有波浪衣紋的典型僧袍，參見 Denise Patry Leidy，〈Notes on a Sculpture of Buddha Maitreya Dated 486 in The Metropolitan Museum of Art〉，《Oriental Art》，2005-6年冬，頁22，圖1。影響此宏偉之五世紀彌勒菩薩銅像的傳統風格，想必為永樂藝匠所熟識。此十五世紀永樂鎏金銅佛莊嚴厚實，雖具明顯的永樂風格，但彌勒佛之手印、立姿及波浪衣褶皆與五世紀造像風格如出一轍，可見明初藝匠對古代佛教信仰及其風格的嚮往與敬慕。永樂時期的雕塑工匠亦受中古世紀東印度銅像的影響，在大型曼荼羅蓮花鎏金造像方面非常接近十一、十二世紀時期帕拉藝術（Pala）的風格。帕拉藝術例子參見 Ulrich von Schroeder，《Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet》，卷1：Indian & Nepalese，香港，2001年，頁307，圖版104C，同書另有永樂雕像例，見頁1262-67，圖版349B-51B。乾隆年間（1736-1795年間在位），大力推動佛教藝術，復興烏丈那風格彌勒菩薩，而來自印度、喀什米爾、尼泊爾地區早期形制的雕像，亦深受重視並起而效仿。

彌勒菩薩腳踏蓮座，花自水波而出，邊沿環飾串珠紋。所飾水紋，與克里夫蘭美術館藏著名永樂鎏金銅烏那巴像之蓮座水紋有相類之處，見 Marylin M. Rhie 及 Robert A. F. Thurman，《Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet》，倫敦，1996年，頁444，編號197。本品的主尊與台座分開鑄造，其內均嵌有裝藏物。裝藏物分置整齊，固定於底緣處四個分隔平整精確的刻槽，並以紅銅合金打製的箔板封住，封板上刻有十字金剛紋，並髹以紅彩。此彌勒像袈裟亮麗，環形蓮瓣完美，金身一絲不苟，法相莊嚴，展現和諧之感，讓人不自覺地靜謐深思於此獨特之永樂佛像。