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YUAN DYNASTY, LATE 13TH/EARLY 14TH CENTURY
Details
AN IMPERIAL GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA
YUAN DYNASTY, LATE 13TH/EARLY 14TH CENTURY
Avalokiteshvara: A Synthesis of Empires — The Pinnacle of Imperial Yuan Buddhist Sculpture
Within the vast artistic continuum of Indo-Himalayan and Chinese Buddhist sculpture, this figure of Avalokiteshvara stands as a singular masterpiece, embodying a harmonious synthesis of Pala, Newar, and Classical Chinese elements. Produced in the early 14th century, likely at Dadu (modern Beijing), the capital of the Yuan dynasty, this sculpture marks a defining moment in the evolution of Sino-Tibetan Buddhist art. Its remarkable stylistic fusion became the foundation for the next two centuries of Buddhist artistic production across the Asian plateau.
At the heart of this sculpture’s brilliance is the artist’s sensitive rendering of Avalokiteshvara’s youthful, semi-wrathful expression, imbued with both compassion and latent power. The plump cheeks, small mouth with well-defined lips, and finely inset urna relate directly to the Newar and Xi Xia aesthetic, distinguishing this face from earlier Tibetan and Pala precedents. The forelocks, neatly arranged in radiating curls, and the double-banded hair across the back of the head, display meticulous craftsmanship characteristic of Yuan court commissions.
The sculpture’s ornamentation further confirms its exceptional status. The strap over the chignon, five-leaf crown, triple-strand necklace, and armbands all reflect 12th–13th century Pala models transmitted through Tibet and refined by Newar artisans. The central pendant, featuring a rectangular gem surrounded by six insets within a triangular frame, echoes the same foliate scrolls seen on the crown leaves, a direct reference to earlier Pala masterpieces such as the black stone figure of Lokanatha Avalokiteshvara sold by Christie's New York, 15 March 2017, lot 233. The long necklace, with its double strands of pearls secured by quatrefoil turquoise-set clasps, extends across the chest and terminates in a trefoil gem at the navel, while the pearl swags draped across the hips and over the finely incised lower garment mimic Yuan textiles preserved in museum collections such as the Cleveland Museum of Art (1994.293).
Distinct from the simplified treatment seen in smaller Yuan bodhisattva figures, such as the 1305-dated Manjushri, this sculpture displays a fully realised three-dimensionality, particularly in the torso, which follows a more naturalistic Nepalese model. The hands and feet are similarly well-articulated, while struts at the shoulders and thighs, intended to support flower stems, are features unique to Yuan bronzes.
The base, with its single rectangular consecration opening and traces of red lacquer on the plate, follows Newar casting traditions, and three tang holes suggest it was originally secured into a separately cast pedestal. The later Kangxi-period parcel-gilt wooden stand, with its lotus petals and recessed cartouches, reflects Qing reverence for earlier Yuan religious art.
This Avalokiteshvara is likely a proto-type for the famed Yongle-period sculpture that would follow in the 15th century. The exceptional quality of the casting, along with its imperial scale and refinement, strongly suggests production under Yuan court patronage, potentially linked to Qubilai Khan’s sponsorship of Sakya Pandita and Phagpa, and the presence of Newar artists such as Aniko (Aiko), who were invited to Dadu during this era. While attribution to a specific hand remains speculative, the sophistication of the modelling indicates the work of a master sculptor, either Aniko himself or a leading artist from his workshop.
While scholars such as Yury Khokholov have argued for a stylistic lineage rooted in the Xi Xia and Hexi corridor, and not solely in the Tibetan-Newar tradition, this sculpture reconciles both theories. Regardless of the precise transmission route, it exemplifies a new imperial aesthetic, drawing together strands from India, Nepal, and China to form a distinctly Yuan style —one that would dominate Buddhist sculpture across East and Central Asia for the next two centuries.
In terms of provenance, scale, stylistic innovation, and state of preservation, this Avalokiteshvara is the finest imperial Yuan Buddhist sculpture to appear on the market. It offers not only a window into the religious and artistic life of the early 14th century, but also stands as a touchstone of pan-Asian artistic synthesis at the highest level.
12 1⁄4 in. (31 cm.) high (15 1⁄4 in. on parcel-gilt lacquered wood base)
YUAN DYNASTY, LATE 13TH/EARLY 14TH CENTURY
Avalokiteshvara: A Synthesis of Empires — The Pinnacle of Imperial Yuan Buddhist Sculpture
Within the vast artistic continuum of Indo-Himalayan and Chinese Buddhist sculpture, this figure of Avalokiteshvara stands as a singular masterpiece, embodying a harmonious synthesis of Pala, Newar, and Classical Chinese elements. Produced in the early 14th century, likely at Dadu (modern Beijing), the capital of the Yuan dynasty, this sculpture marks a defining moment in the evolution of Sino-Tibetan Buddhist art. Its remarkable stylistic fusion became the foundation for the next two centuries of Buddhist artistic production across the Asian plateau.
At the heart of this sculpture’s brilliance is the artist’s sensitive rendering of Avalokiteshvara’s youthful, semi-wrathful expression, imbued with both compassion and latent power. The plump cheeks, small mouth with well-defined lips, and finely inset urna relate directly to the Newar and Xi Xia aesthetic, distinguishing this face from earlier Tibetan and Pala precedents. The forelocks, neatly arranged in radiating curls, and the double-banded hair across the back of the head, display meticulous craftsmanship characteristic of Yuan court commissions.
The sculpture’s ornamentation further confirms its exceptional status. The strap over the chignon, five-leaf crown, triple-strand necklace, and armbands all reflect 12th–13th century Pala models transmitted through Tibet and refined by Newar artisans. The central pendant, featuring a rectangular gem surrounded by six insets within a triangular frame, echoes the same foliate scrolls seen on the crown leaves, a direct reference to earlier Pala masterpieces such as the black stone figure of Lokanatha Avalokiteshvara sold by Christie's New York, 15 March 2017, lot 233. The long necklace, with its double strands of pearls secured by quatrefoil turquoise-set clasps, extends across the chest and terminates in a trefoil gem at the navel, while the pearl swags draped across the hips and over the finely incised lower garment mimic Yuan textiles preserved in museum collections such as the Cleveland Museum of Art (1994.293).
Distinct from the simplified treatment seen in smaller Yuan bodhisattva figures, such as the 1305-dated Manjushri, this sculpture displays a fully realised three-dimensionality, particularly in the torso, which follows a more naturalistic Nepalese model. The hands and feet are similarly well-articulated, while struts at the shoulders and thighs, intended to support flower stems, are features unique to Yuan bronzes.
The base, with its single rectangular consecration opening and traces of red lacquer on the plate, follows Newar casting traditions, and three tang holes suggest it was originally secured into a separately cast pedestal. The later Kangxi-period parcel-gilt wooden stand, with its lotus petals and recessed cartouches, reflects Qing reverence for earlier Yuan religious art.
This Avalokiteshvara is likely a proto-type for the famed Yongle-period sculpture that would follow in the 15th century. The exceptional quality of the casting, along with its imperial scale and refinement, strongly suggests production under Yuan court patronage, potentially linked to Qubilai Khan’s sponsorship of Sakya Pandita and Phagpa, and the presence of Newar artists such as Aniko (Aiko), who were invited to Dadu during this era. While attribution to a specific hand remains speculative, the sophistication of the modelling indicates the work of a master sculptor, either Aniko himself or a leading artist from his workshop.
While scholars such as Yury Khokholov have argued for a stylistic lineage rooted in the Xi Xia and Hexi corridor, and not solely in the Tibetan-Newar tradition, this sculpture reconciles both theories. Regardless of the precise transmission route, it exemplifies a new imperial aesthetic, drawing together strands from India, Nepal, and China to form a distinctly Yuan style —one that would dominate Buddhist sculpture across East and Central Asia for the next two centuries.
In terms of provenance, scale, stylistic innovation, and state of preservation, this Avalokiteshvara is the finest imperial Yuan Buddhist sculpture to appear on the market. It offers not only a window into the religious and artistic life of the early 14th century, but also stands as a touchstone of pan-Asian artistic synthesis at the highest level.
12 1⁄4 in. (31 cm.) high (15 1⁄4 in. on parcel-gilt lacquered wood base)
Provenance
Mayuyama & Company, Ltd., Tokyo, mid 1960s
Ellsworth and Goldie, New York, before 1971
Christian Humann, Pan-Asian Collection, before 1977
Christie's New York, 2 June 1989, lot 110
Private West Coast Collection
Christie's New York, 21 March 2008, lot 616
Private Asian Collection
Ellsworth and Goldie, New York, before 1971
Christian Humann, Pan-Asian Collection, before 1977
Christie's New York, 2 June 1989, lot 110
Private West Coast Collection
Christie's New York, 21 March 2008, lot 616
Private Asian Collection
Literature
Phillip Adams, "Imperial Yuan Gilt-Metal Buddhist Sculptures: Stepping Stones to the early Ming," Orientations, (Nov/Dec 2014), pp. 93, 96-98, figs. 1, 9a, 10c, 11a.
Brought to you by
Edward Wilkinson
Global Head of Department