PRINTPROVENANCE:
Private collection, Asia
Private collection, Asia
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624
A MING IMPERIAL STYLE GUILT-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF BUDDHA GAUTAMA
Ming Dynasty (AD1368-1644) |
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H: 55 cm |
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Estimate
6,500,000 - 8,000,000 215,400 - 265,100 1,671,000 - 2,057,000
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Sold Price 7,800,000
259,136
2,020,725
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Catalogue Note
A Ming Imperial Style Guilt Lacquered Wood Figure of Buddha Gautama Ming Dynasty
This is a late ming imperial style wood figure of Buddha Gautama, embodied with the features of both Han and Tibetan styles, a truly handed down masterpiece. Most of the wood figures of Buddha handed down were lost overseas during the time of late Qing and the Republic of China. Moreover, with the catastrophe of wars and social upheavals, a well-preserved piece is extremely rare to see nowadays. The imperial style combined the quintessence of the craftsmanship from different major districts and the aesthetics of the capital, creating precious pieces with no regard of the cost.
The Buddha is portrayed seated in dhyanasana with left hand in dhyanamudra and right hand in Bhumyakramanamudra, the sanghati drawn across the left shoulder and over the right, falling in folds over the neatly pleated antaravasaka, the full, solemn face with downcast eyes flanking a straight angular nose with a round, protruding jaw and cheeks, beneath hair piled over the jewel-crowned ushnisha. This piece precisely depicts when Buddha Gautama attained Enlightenment under a pipal tree—now known as the Bodhi tree—in Bodh Gaya, India.
Ming imperial figures of Buddha were all executed by the special institution established by the court, which is recorded in details by Ming officer Liu Ruoyu in his book. The technique of coating carved wood figures with gilt-lacquer appears to have emerged during the early part of the Ming dynasty and continued into the Qing. The physical characteristics of the present lot echo those of Tibetan giltbronze images and reflect the influence of Tibetan Buddhism on Chinese art. The wood figures of Buddha combined the quintessence of the craftsmanship from different major districts including Shanxi district of the north and Jiangzhe district of the south, with the aesthetics of Beijing district and came out the unique imperial style, different from local styles. This lot precisely fuses the styles of South China, Nepal, and Beijing district. Such pieces with the material of gilt-lacquered wood were mainly possessed by the court or princes, rarely gifted to Tibetan monks.
Chinese believe that wood has life itself and gives a sense of intimacy to human beings, harboring special sentiments towards this kind of material. Just like how Chinese culture gives figures of Buddha spiritual content, hundreds of years of time also sires the wood a unique appeal, reserved in the wrapped slurry and cot. Dust, sweat, humidity in the air, countless times of stroking and scrubbing, and fire and smoke, layered upon the wood, creating the cot on the surface, making the piece bear the traces of time and making it that more moving to the soul.
This is a late ming imperial style wood figure of Buddha Gautama, embodied with the features of both Han and Tibetan styles, a truly handed down masterpiece. Most of the wood figures of Buddha handed down were lost overseas during the time of late Qing and the Republic of China. Moreover, with the catastrophe of wars and social upheavals, a well-preserved piece is extremely rare to see nowadays. The imperial style combined the quintessence of the craftsmanship from different major districts and the aesthetics of the capital, creating precious pieces with no regard of the cost.
The Buddha is portrayed seated in dhyanasana with left hand in dhyanamudra and right hand in Bhumyakramanamudra, the sanghati drawn across the left shoulder and over the right, falling in folds over the neatly pleated antaravasaka, the full, solemn face with downcast eyes flanking a straight angular nose with a round, protruding jaw and cheeks, beneath hair piled over the jewel-crowned ushnisha. This piece precisely depicts when Buddha Gautama attained Enlightenment under a pipal tree—now known as the Bodhi tree—in Bodh Gaya, India.
Ming imperial figures of Buddha were all executed by the special institution established by the court, which is recorded in details by Ming officer Liu Ruoyu in his book. The technique of coating carved wood figures with gilt-lacquer appears to have emerged during the early part of the Ming dynasty and continued into the Qing. The physical characteristics of the present lot echo those of Tibetan giltbronze images and reflect the influence of Tibetan Buddhism on Chinese art. The wood figures of Buddha combined the quintessence of the craftsmanship from different major districts including Shanxi district of the north and Jiangzhe district of the south, with the aesthetics of Beijing district and came out the unique imperial style, different from local styles. This lot precisely fuses the styles of South China, Nepal, and Beijing district. Such pieces with the material of gilt-lacquered wood were mainly possessed by the court or princes, rarely gifted to Tibetan monks.
Chinese believe that wood has life itself and gives a sense of intimacy to human beings, harboring special sentiments towards this kind of material. Just like how Chinese culture gives figures of Buddha spiritual content, hundreds of years of time also sires the wood a unique appeal, reserved in the wrapped slurry and cot. Dust, sweat, humidity in the air, countless times of stroking and scrubbing, and fire and smoke, layered upon the wood, creating the cot on the surface, making the piece bear the traces of time and making it that more moving to the soul.