明宣德 鎏金銅四面八臂度母立像 《大明宣德年施》款

dancing in pratyalidhasana and balancing on the left foot atop a crescent moon emerging from the utpala flower, the right foot raised with the sole of the foot exposed, with eight arms, the principle hands holding a vajra and ghanta, the auxillary hands folding a khadga sword, a blood-filled kapala, damaru drum, a khatvanga, and triratna flaming jewels on a slender stem, each of the four faces depicted with a third eye, the figure further adorned with panchamudra jewellery, her taut body bejewelled with beaded chains covering her chest and an elaborate beaded girdle suspending jewelled sashes worn over a tiger-skin skirt, her shoulders further draped with a garland of severed human heads, all upon a single lotus pedestal, inscribed with a six-character reign mark, the base engraved with a vishvavajra

傳 Vérité 收藏
香港蘇富比2010年4月8日，編號1859

The overall condition is very good with only several minor breaks. There is a break to the long sash over the right knee, one of the implements held in the second auxilliary left hand is missing and a missing tassle hanging from the belt. Otherwise the condition is very good with ample gilding and red pigment remaining. The base has been opened and the consecration materials have been removed.
"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."

金剛瑜伽女的舞姿
David Weldon

金剛瑜伽女是藏傳佛教極為重要的女性神祇，她是勝樂輪金剛密續的根本核心。此宣德銅像罕見精美，金剛瑜伽女以舞立姿之身形踩在一代表勝樂輪金剛之新月上，雙手握持著勝樂金剛的重要法器金剛鈴與金剛杵，分別象徵智慧與慈悲，兩者的結合是密宗坦特羅的核心思想。

永樂年間，宮廷與西藏或藏傳佛教的關係或較後朝緊密，然此尊金剛瑜伽女立像，體現宣朝宮廷對藏傳佛教的高度重視，未有怠於神祇造像。此尊金剛瑜伽女像，工精技繁，採四面八臂之形態，在密宗坦特羅神祇中尤為罕見，在西藏寺或私人收藏喜瑪拉雅銅像中皆乏他例，足見其珍。僅有一尊永樂年間之那若空行母銅像，可資比對，那若空行母乃金剛瑜伽女之常見傳承，為明初金剛瑜伽女之形像提供了不可多得的證據，圖見 Jan Van Alphen，《Cast for Eternity: Bronze Masterworks from India and the Himalayas in Belgian and Dutch Collections》，安特衛普，2004年，頁217。另有一幅明初那若空行母繪像，進一步證明當時相關之修法與膜拜，見 Jane Casey、Naman P. Ahuja 及 David Weldon，《Divine Presence: Arts of India & the Himalayas》，巴塞隆拿，2003年，圖版52。

此金剛瑜伽女像，有助加深我們對宣德年間、以至宮廷與藏傳佛教的關聯之了解。在此像出現以前，一般認為宣德宮廷佛像以佛陀及菩薩為主，並常比擬永樂造像，認知往往局限於神祇的辨識。有記錄之宣德銅作甚稀，有別於前朝之頻繁禮贈，缺乏造像以饋西藏高僧的證據。永樂年間，造像尺寸較形小巧者，或如文獻所言，皆為天子送贈藏僧之物。宣德年間，卻乏相關個人饋贈之記錄，所製佛像，體積往往較大，缺少小巧塑像，應為寺廟供奉而造，是以大量仍存北京，卻罕見於西藏佛寺收藏。此尊金剛瑜伽女像尺寸也較形碩大，與上述觀察吻合。

雖說宣德年間，宮廷對藏傳佛教的支持明顯減少，然此像姿態婉麗，製作精緻，涵永樂造像餘韻，足見二朝藝匠技術精湛之處，旗鼓相當。宣德造像，一般被指略遜前朝，較形拘謹，有欠生動，然此尊細膩精巧，冠絕宣朝，極為難得。作金剛瑜伽女之形，佛相罕見新穎，四臉面容靜謐，伴以八手，舞姿生動有勁，卻不失優雅，腳踏新月一彎，下承象徵度母之藍蓮，明朝御製尤為罕見。與明初佛像相同，主尊身軀與底座分開鑄造，尚存內膛裝藏物與背面封印的方形金屬箔層。據錄，採舞姿的宣德佛像，另僅止兩菩薩例，同屬 Speelman 舊藏，售於香港蘇富比2006年10月7日，編號805，其鑄造與裝藏情況與此類同。此尊金剛瑜伽女立像，鑄造、鎏金等皆一絲不苟，成如此流麗動人之像，應為宣德帝御旨所造。

特別鳴謝 Jeff Watt 先生就此像之鑑識，以及金剛瑜伽女坦特羅修法的了解，提供了許多寶貴的意見及協助。

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Pierre and Suzanne Vérité 伉儷典藏，尤以其非洲及太平洋島嶼民族藝術品著稱，三十年代於巴黎開設藝廊，常客包括保羅．紀庸（Paul Guillaume）、查爾斯．羅頓（Charles Ratton）、皮埃爾．勒布（Pierre Loeb）及安德烈．波特爾（André Portier），還有一眾前衛藝術倡行者，如巴黎超現實主義者保羅．艾呂雅（Paul Eluard）、安德烈．布勒東（André Breton）與特里斯坦．查拉（Tristan Tzara），甚至國外之前衛藝術者如 Helena Rubinstein 及 James J. Sweeney。