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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
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Chinese Tang Hunter Pair on Horseback
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,222
A pair of ceramic mounted hunters, each modelled with semi-naturalistic anatomical detailing standing on rectangular bases, and extensive remains of painted pigmentation: one horse with a cropped mane, painted bridle, harness and decorative saddlecloth, prey animal slung behind saddle, rider in the saddle leaning forwards with one arm raised, hand in a gripping position forming a socket to accept a weapon or other object; one horse ornately caparisoned and with a flowing mane, a hunting hound straddling the horse in front of the mounted rider. 7.7 kg total, 39 cm high
Fine condition.
Acquired 1990s. West Country, UK, collection. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report sample no.C122f85, from Oxford Authentication for one figure. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11364-193072.
Since ancient times, “Lari Festival” has been a festival to offer sacrifice to various gods at the end of the year. In the Tang Dynasty, it was a custom to hunt this day, which was not only meant to meet the demand for sacrifice, but also to reveal the hunting loving warrior spirit then. In the poem titled Hunting On Lari Festival, Yao He in the mid and late periods of the Tang Dynasty also mentioned one of his collective hunting events to meet the demand for sacrifice on that festival when he was governor of Jin Zhou. Emperor Xianzong was very much astounded at such slaughters of foxes and hares and observed, "Every Lari Festival recent years, I heard some prefectures and counties, to take something to the capital, catch and raise foxes and hares to serve as tributes” (Complete Tang Proses,Vol. 60); therefore he issued the Fox & Hare Hunting Forbidding Decree. -
Chinese Wei Buddha Brick
Northern Wei Dynasty, 386-534 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £165
A rectangular ceramic brick featuring a standing Buddha figure in high-relief, robed, nimbate and one hand raised, canopy above; remains of polychrome pigmentation. 3.6 kg, 33 x 16.5 cm
Fine condition.
Acquired 2000s. London, UK, collection. -
Chinese Tang Horse and Rider
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £520
A ceramic horse and rider figure modelled in the round, the horse standing on a rectangular base, its stocky neck arched, head held facing down, tail resting between hindlegs, semi-naturalistic detailing to the head and mane, wearing a harness, saddle cloth and saddle; male rider modelled with the right arm held at eye level, the left held at chest height in front of the body, semi-naturalistic facial detailing, wearing a head covering; remains of polychrome pigmentation. 1.93 kg, 34 cm high
Acquired on the UK art market, circa 2001. UK private collection.
