拍品 3666
  • 3666

明十六世紀 鎏金銅獅吼觀音坐像

估價
2,000,000 - 3,000,000 HKD
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描述

  • bronze
cast seated in rajalilasana on a recumbent qilin, his right arm resting on the raised right leg, the left arm holding curved stems of uptala lotuses rising up the shoulder, reclining on an armrest supported on three cabriole legs issuing from animal masks, cloaked in long flowing robes falling into elegant folds hemmed with incised lotus scroll borders, further embellished with beaded jewellery, the serene face with downcast eyes and a gentle smile, flanked by a pair of long pendulous ears suspending large earrings, the hair gathered into an elaborate three-knotted chignon with long plaits falling over the shoulders, crowned with a headdress surmounted by Amitabha Buddha, the beast with head turned sharply backward and its bushy tail swept upward, crouching on an oval base in the form of cragged rockwork

來源

傳捷克私人收藏,1945年
倫敦佳士得1995年6月5日,編號276

Condition

Good overall condition, with just minor chips to the extremities, including the figure's jewellery, the tips of the animal's hair and the tail. Other minor losses, bruising and rubbing to the gilding. There are tiny casting holes on the pedestal. Minor oxidisation and loss to the gilding.
"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."

拍品資料及來源

This figure is particularly notable for the exquisite level of detailing which captures a sense of the majesty associated with the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The deity is seated on a lion with its mouth opened in a vigorous growl, depicting 'Guanyin of the Lion Roar' (Simhanada Avalokiteshvara): the intense moment of transcendent enlightenment. Her serene features convey a sense of profound thought and wisdom which contrasts with the ferocity of the lion. Together, the two figures represent an image of controlled power and harmony.

The craftsman’s remarkable command over his medium is evident in the engaging sense of naturalism. Seated in a position of ‘royal ease’, a sway in the body is captured through the weight of the body relaxed into her left arm that rests on a stand while her right arm drapes on her bent knee. This lyrical sense of movement is heightened through the flowing ribbons that flutter across the body. A comparable figure of smaller size on a lotus petal base, also with traces of red lacquer and gilding, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Classics of the Forbidden City. Guanyin the Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2012, pl. 83. A larger figure of Guanyin, seated more stiffly on a roaring lion atop a rocky ledge, was sold in our London rooms, 1st/2nd November 1984, lot 337.

Guanyin is typically depicted as a beautiful female with a warm smile, wearing worldly ornaments such as a bejewelled headdress, rich necklaces and strings of pearls. She is a sharp contrast with the plain, austere images of the Buddha, thus emphasising her non-ethereal status. It is thought that anyone who called on the name of Guanyin during times of distress would be heard and rescued by her, hence why she is one of the most worshipped deities in Buddhism.

The earliest textural reference to this rare form of Avalokitesvara appears in the Sadhanamala [Garland of Sadhanas], the greatest iconographic compendium assembled by Abhayakaragupta, the Indian monk-scholar in the late eleventh century, where the manifestation is thought to have had the ability to heal diseases (Denise Patry Leidy and Donna Strahan, Wisdom Embodied. Chinese Buddhist and Daoist Sculpture in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2010, p. 156).