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Lot Essay
This white marble stele is finely carved on both the front and back with representations of triptychs set within shallow niches, each depicting a seated Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas. Inscriptions appear below the triptych on one side and along both narrow edges. On the inscribed side, the Buddha's damaged right hand would originally have been raised in abhaya mudra, the gesture of reassurance, with the palm facing outward. The left hand rests in varada mudra, symbolizing gift-giving or wish-granting. His face is carved with a square outline, softened by gently curved cheeks and chin, lowered eyelids, and a mouth rendered in a distinctive style. He wears a voluminous outer robe that falls in a deep U-shape, revealing a flatter inner garment beneath. The accompanying bodhisattvas exhibit similar geometric facial features and are also clad in long, heavy robes.
With the fall of the Northern Wei, the once unified northern territory fragmented into two short-lived successor dynasties: the Eastern Wei (AD 534–554) and the Western Wei (AD 535–557). The enduring Buddhist imagery developed over more than a century and a half under the Northern Wei continued to influence the artistic traditions of these successor states. This continuity is evident in the present stele, particularly in the stylization of the figures—their serene, mystical smiles, and the precise, repetitive folds of their garments, with lack of volume and depth.
At the same time, a stylistic shift was underway, moving away from the flat, abstract linearity characteristic of earlier Buddhist art toward the blockier, more substantial forms associated with the Northern Zhou period (AD 557–581). While the facial expressions in the present sculpture retain the grace and charm of Northern Wei prototypes, the forms have become fuller and more robust. Although the emphasis on linearity in the rendering of robes remains a conservative trait, the sturdier facial features and the bulkier outer garments suggest a greater physical presence beneath the fabric—a feature that is now considered a hallmark of Buddhist sculpture from the Western Wei period.
With the fall of the Northern Wei, the once unified northern territory fragmented into two short-lived successor dynasties: the Eastern Wei (AD 534–554) and the Western Wei (AD 535–557). The enduring Buddhist imagery developed over more than a century and a half under the Northern Wei continued to influence the artistic traditions of these successor states. This continuity is evident in the present stele, particularly in the stylization of the figures—their serene, mystical smiles, and the precise, repetitive folds of their garments, with lack of volume and depth.
At the same time, a stylistic shift was underway, moving away from the flat, abstract linearity characteristic of earlier Buddhist art toward the blockier, more substantial forms associated with the Northern Zhou period (AD 557–581). While the facial expressions in the present sculpture retain the grace and charm of Northern Wei prototypes, the forms have become fuller and more robust. Although the emphasis on linearity in the rendering of robes remains a conservative trait, the sturdier facial features and the bulkier outer garments suggest a greater physical presence beneath the fabric—a feature that is now considered a hallmark of Buddhist sculpture from the Western Wei period.