Details

LOT 1532

Large Chinese Tang 'Pagoda' Reliquary Stupa

TANG TO LIAO DYNASTY, CIRCA 907-1125 A.D. OR LATER

23 1/4 in. (4.9 kg, 59 cm).

A substantial hollow bronze 'pagoda' stupa with three-tiered square and stepped base showing bodhi leaves, flaming jewels and foliage tendrils respectively, surmounted by a pierced frieze, each side depicting a seated Buddha flanked by standing figures and clouds; with triple pitched and hipped roof elements rising above pierced wall panels; in turn all surmounted by a column with five graduated discs affixed and terminating in a four-lobed flammiform element.

Provenance

Acquired 1960s to early 1970s.
‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert.

Accompanied by Nik Douglas's collection cataloguing pages.
Accompanied by a copy of the relevant ‘Out of Uddiyana’ exhibition catalogue pages including an image of this lot featured in one of the display cases.
This lot has also been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no. 10493-170984.

Published

Exhibited: ‘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.

Literature

See National Museum, China, for a similar example; accompanied by a two-page document describing and illustrating the piece.