Description:
A GILT BRONZE BUDDHA VAJRASANA
Tibet, 14th - 16th century. A superb fire-gilt bronze of Buddha Shakyamuni with a Vajra resting before him. Seated in vajrasana on a double lotus base with bhumisparsha mudra, calling mother earth a witness to his enlightenment.
Provenance: From the collection of Alexander Popov in Novi Sad, Kingdom of Serbia, acquired between 1900-1920. A copy of an old black and white photo, dating to early 1930s, with the collector’s cabinet, and the present statue within, is accompanying this lot.
Condition: Outstanding condition with wear and a few tiny casting imperfections and nicks. The ewer is visible on the photo from the 1900s, but it could still be an old association. At the least, it has been re-attached at some point in time. A copper plate marked with a double vajra is evidence of this sculpture’s formal consecration and appears to be the original seal.
Weight: 2234.8 grams
Dimensions: 22.6 cm
Shakyamuni Buddha and the Vajra Seat refers visually in art and iconography to the vajra scepter located on the seat in front of Shakyamuni. Like in the present piece, it is always horizontal, lying flat, rather than upright and often appears as if partially sunk into the seat. The meaning of the vajra scepter in this specific configuration in front of Shakyamuni refers to the time and geographic location when and where the Buddha reached enlightenment at Bodhgaya (Vajrasana), India.
There are actually three references to the term ‘vajra’ in the depiction of Buddha Vajrasana. First, the location of Bodhgaya, previously known as Vajrasana, is represented by the physical vajra scepter in front of the Buddha. Secondly, the Buddha is seated in the vajrasana posture, with the right leg folded over the left. Thirdly, and abstractly, the Buddha is believed to be mentally focused on the vajra samadhi meditation. These are the three references to the term ‘vajra’ in relation to the historic Buddha’s enlightenment.
Auction result comparison: The wide, yet compact features of this figure’s face is related to those of a gilt-bronze figure of Vajrasana sold at Christie’s New York on September 12th, 2018, lot 373. Few examples share these stylistic details. Both figures have a short neck, full and round shoulders and the robe’s hem draped over the left shoulder comes to an end in a lobed shape.
銅鎏金釋迦牟尼佛坐蓮像
西藏,十四至十六世紀。 釋迦牟尼佛鎏金璀璨,面前連坐上一個金剛。釋迦牟尼結跏趺坐與雙層蓮座上,右手施觸地印。
來源:塞爾維亞 諾維薩Alexander Popov收藏,購於1900-1920年間。隨附一張1930年代黑白照片,上面顯示了這件造像在藏家櫃中的情況。
品相:品相出色,一些磨損和鑄造缺陷及缺口。從二十世紀初的照片上可看到一個水壺,可能是一個舊時組合。至少,他曾經被重新加入。刻有雙金剛的銅板似乎是原始密封銅板,是確認這個雕塑的真實性。
重量: 2234.8 克
尺寸: 22.6 厘米