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_900x900.jpg "Chinese Wei Shakyamuni Buddha on Lion Throne")
_200x200.jpg "Chinese Wei Shakyamuni Buddha on Lion Throne")
.jpg "Chinese Wei Shakyamuni Buddha on Lion Throne")
LOT 0431
Chinese Wei Shakyamuni Buddha on Lion Throne
NORTHERN WEI DYNASTY, 386-534 A.D.
2 3/4 in. (95 grams, 70 mm).
A gilt-bronze figure (after the Gandharan style, or that of the neighbouring Uddiyana region), of Shakyamuni Buddha modelled with his hands clasped together in dhyana mudra and seated in the dhyanasana posture on a throne flanked by two roaring lions; robes with U-shaped folds in the Mathuran style and the head with a prominent ushnisha.
ProvenanceAcquired for the ‘Buckingham Collection’ by the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert; the collection formed from the early 1960s to early 1970s; displayed at the major exhibition ‘The Buddha Image: Out of Uddiyana’, Tibet House, 22 West 15th Street, New York, 16 September-20 October 2010, extended to 16 November and again to 7 January 2011; where the collection of one hundred pieces was publicly valued at US$ 15M; this piece was scheduled to be included in an exhibition titled ‘On the Silk Route; Birth of The Buddha’, to be held in London from November 2012, but sadly his death prevented this.
Accompanied by copies of several press releases and articles for the exhibition, including Artnet News, This Week in New York, Huffpost, Buddhist Art News, and copies of the relevant London and Tibet House exhibition catalogue pages.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.10907-168639.
Exhibited: Out of Uddiyana. An exhibition at Tibet House New York, From the Buckingham collections, exhibit TB006, p.160; accompanied by copies of the relevant exhibition catalogue pages.
LiteratureSee Dr. Naiki, S., Similarities and Differences in Gandharan Sculptures Among Regions, Thursday 22nd to Friday 23rd March 2018, The Geography of Gandharan Art: 2nd Workshop of the Gandhara Connections Project, Classical Art Research Centre, University of Oxford.
FootnotesGandhara was a principal gateway through which Buddhism spread to China. Academic research conducted after the death of Nik Douglas (above) explains that Gandharan sculpture has been found in neighbouring regions, such as in Uddiyana. Sculpture from the Gandharan and Uddiyana regions has similar characteristics and as a result has often remained undifferentiated. As a result of this recent research however, it is becoming more feasible to identify distinctions between the sculpture of these different regions.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Chinese Tang Horse with Separate Rider
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £975
A ceramic horse and rider figure modelled in the round with semi-naturalistic anatomical detailing, the horse standing on a rectangular base, its stocky neck and head slightly turned to the right, ears pricked forwards, cropped mane and short, dressed tail; rider seated in saddle wearing a knee-length robe, hood and riding boots, one arm held in front of his body, the other raised above his head, detailing to his face; remains of polychrome pigmentation; the upper half of the rider's body modelled separately. 1.75 kg, 32 cm high
From the R.M.Hicks OBE private collection, UK. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.C106u29 from Oxford Authentication.
A symbol of military strength and social status, the horse was ever a potent mythological and symbolic animal in China. During the Tang Dynasty, both polo and hunting from horseback became fashionable for men and women. It was also during the Tang Dynasty period that female court attendants on horses appeared in art and in tomb sculpture. The fruits of China's relationship with the horse include three of the most important innovations in equestrian history: the horse collar, the stirrup and harnesses based on the breast strap. The failure of China's domestic horse breeding programmes forced them to artificially inflate the price of tea (the production of which was controlled by China), so that tea could be traded for horses from their neighbours. -
Chinese Tang Horse and Rider with Dog
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,400
A ceramic horse and rider figure modelled in the round standing on a rectangular base, the animal's head bowed down and turned slightly left, shown with a long and immaculately-kept mane, short dressed tail, saddle cloth decorated with an 'animal skin' pattern and a harness adorned with pendants; the male rider seated in the saddle wearing a knee-length robe and riding boots, his arms positioned to hold reins (absent), a domestic dog perched on a covering behind him; semi-naturalistic anatomical detailing to both figures, the rider shown with a full beard and mustache, wearing a cap. 3.9 kg, 42 cm high
Acquired 1980s-1990s. Ex West Country collection. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no. C122f84 from Oxford Authentication. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11702-199228. -
Large Chinese Jar with Lotus Petals
19th-20th century A.D.Estimate: £400 - 600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £222
A large ceramic jar in Han style with rolled rim to the mouth, bulbous shoulder and broad base; fine detailing in original pigments including a band of meander pattern to the shoulder and stylised lion(?) and dragon to the body, lotus petals to the base. 7.4 kg, 44.5 cm
Fair condition. Very rare.
Ex West Country collection, Bath, Somerset, UK, 1970-2000s.
