A Rare Polychrome-Decorated Limestone Bust of a Bodhisattva

6TH/7TH CENTURY

Details

A Rare Polychrome-Decorated Limestone Bust of a Bodhisattva
6th/7th Century
The face well carved with graceful features framed by the black hair, with large ribbon-hung discs at each shoulder and wearing an openwork necklace below two braided gold cords, with the remains of a mandorla behind the head, and with extensive traces of polychrome pigment
10in. (25.4cm.) high, stand

Exhibited

London, Eskenazi, Ancient Chinese sculpture, 11 - 24 December 1981, no. 12.

Lot Essay

The carving of the face, the type of necklace and the large discs and pendent tabs or ribbons at the shoulders of this bust are stylistically similar to those of sculptures of the late 6th/early 7th century. See two bodhisattva dated to the Sui dynasty illustrated by O. Sirén, Chinese Sculpture, From the Fifth to the Fourteenth Century, 1998 reprint, vol. II, pl. 307 and 308. See, also, the bodhisattva dated Western/Eastern Wei dynasty, illustrated op. cit., pl. 204B and another seated bodhisattva wearing a very similar necklace and dated Northern Qi dynasty illustrated by S. Matsubara, Chuugoku Bukkyo Chokokushi Ron (The Path of Chinese Buddhist Sculpture), Tokyo, 1995, vol. 2, pl. 390.

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