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Lot Essay
A RARE AND MAGNIFICENT GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF VAJRAPANI
Robert D. Mowry 毛瑞
Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus,
Harvard Art Museums, and
Senior Consultant, Christie’s
Identified by the vajra 金剛杵, or “thunderbolt scepter”, held in the upraised right hand, this rare sculpture represents the Bodhisattva Vajrapani, who is known in Chinese as Jin’gangshou Pusa 金剛手菩薩, or “holder of the thunderbolt”, and who is the protector of the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni 釈迦牟尼佛. In Tibeto-Chinese style, this important sculpture was made for the Imperial Court during the Xuande reign (1426–1435) of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) as evinced by the inscription reading Da Ming Xuande nian shi.
Extensively represented in Buddhist art, Vajrapani is among the earliest to appear of the three protective bodhisattvas associated with the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha’s virtues: Avalokiteshvara 觀世音菩薩 manifests the Buddha’s immense compassion, Manjushri 文殊菩薩 manifests the Buddha’s wisdom, and Vajrapani not only protects the Buddha but manifests the his power. Vajrapani is also widely venerated in his dual manifestation as the “vajra warriors” 金剛力士—also known as the “Benevolent Kings” 仁王—the two loincloth-clad, muscular guardian deities who typically stand on either side of the shanmen gate 山門殿, the main gateway to a temple or monastery, and thereby guard the temple precincts.
A vajra 金剛杵, a Buddhist ritual implement, is a short, symmetrical metal scepter with two spherical heads, each with curved prongs; it symbolizes the properties of a diamond (hardness and indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force) while also emblemizing spiritual power and firmness of spirit. In holding the vajra, Vajrapani represents the Buddha’s power. With his left hand at chest level, he forms a variation on the vitarka-mudra 尋印, the palm facing outward, the ring finger touching the thumb to form a circle. The gesture symbolizes discursive reasoning and thought. (A ritual hand gesture, a mudra 手印 symbolizes a particular action, power, or attitude of a deity.)
In fact, Vajrapani is a bodhisattva 菩薩, a benevolent being who has gained enlightenment but who has selflessly postponed entry into nirvana 涅槃 in order to assist other sentient beings—有情 or 眾生—in gaining enlightenment. Meaning “enlightened being”, a bodhisattva is an altruistic being who is dedicated to assisting other sentient beings in achieving release from the samsara cycle of birth and rebirth 輪迴 through the attainment of enlightenment.
The style of this sculpture belongs to a long artistic tradition that can be traced to northeastern India in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, which then spread to Nepal and Tibet. The flowering of the Nepali variant of that style in China during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) is often linked to the influence of Anige 阿尼哥 (1245–1306), a young Nepali artist who was brought to Beijing in 1262 by Chogyal Phags’pa 八思巴 (1235–1280), an influential Tibetan monk of the Sakya sect and state preceptor for Khubilai Khan 忽必烈 (1215–1294), the founder of the Yuan dynasty. Anige played an important role at the Mongol court, serving as the director of all artisan classes and as the controller of the Directorate for Imperial Manufactories 少府監.
Although Tibetan Buddhist imagery began to appear in the repertory of Chinese art already in the Yuan dynasty, Tibetan influence on Chinese Buddhist art became far more pronounced in the Ming dynasty, particularly during the Yongle era (1403–1424), when the imperial court looked favorably upon Buddhism and made a concerted effort to build secular and religious alliances with Tibet, even inviting Tibetan monks to the capital, Beijing, to conduct religious services. Such Tibetan influence manifests itself in the sensuousness of the art, as witnessed in this figure’s elegant proportions, S-curved posture, dazzling jewels, refined gestures, abundant and meticulously rendered details, and compressed double-lotus base. As important as Tibetan-influenced works of art were early in fifteenth-century China, particularly during the Yongle and Xuande (1426–1435) reigns, Tibetan-style Buddhism was little practiced outside the imperial court, so most such images likely were made for the court, as indicated by the imperial inscriptions.
This sculpture’s broad shoulders, smooth torso, and long legs derive from Indian traditions, as do the sheer, diaphanous drapery and such items of jewelry as the bracelets and armbands. By contrast the broad, somewhat square face with high cheekbones, sensuous eyes, and elegantly curved eyebrows; the Five-Point Crown 五佛冠—also called the Five Buddha Crown as each vertical element represents one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas 五智如来; the large, circular earrings; the long, elaborate, beaded necklace; and the beaded cincture at the waist and beaded anklets all stem from Nepali and Tibetan traditions.
Numerous sculptures in this Nepali-Tibetan-influenced style were produced during the Yongle and Xuande reigns, the style continuing into the sixteenth century with but little change or evolution. The soft folds in the scarf draped over the bodhisattva’s shoulders and arms and the loose pleats of the sarong-like dhoti 腰布are typical of works produced in the imperial workshops during the Yongle and Xuande reigns, as is the careful finishing of the back.
The formulaic, six-character inscription reading Da Ming Xuande nian shi, which is engraved at the center of the base’s flat top and which may be translated “Bestowed [during the] Xuande era [of the] Great Ming”, dates this sculpture to the Xuande reign (1426–1435) of the Ming dynasty, a period of great artistic refinement in China. Engraved after casting, inscriptions on such Tibeto-Chinese-style bronzes typically read from left to right, as seen here, and end with the verb shi, in this context meaning “bestow”, rather than with the verb zhi, meaning “made”, which is typically seen in the imperial marks of porcelains of the same period.
A virtually identical, Xuande-marked, gilt-bronze sculpture of Vajrapani sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, lot 3107. (Fig. 1) Another closely related example in the National Museum of China, Beijing, is illustrated in Lu Zhangshen, ed., Zhongguo gudai fo zaoxiang yishu, Beijing, 2011, pl. 116. A kindred Xuande-marked, gilt bronze sculpture depicting Avalokiteshvara and dated by inscription to 1435 sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 2839. And a related Xuande-marked sculpture of Avalokiteshvara from the collection of English scholar and British Museum curator Soame Jenyns (1904–1976) sold at Christie’s London, on 6 November 2018, lot 26. (Fig. 2) The Himalayan Art Resources website illustrates and describes four additional Chinese, gilt-bronze sculptures of Vajrapani that are now in private collections, that are similar in style to the present Vajrapani, and that, although dating to the fifteenth century, lack imperial inscriptions (object nos. 1694, 19457, 21821, 330332).
哈佛大學藝術博物館亞洲部榮譽主任暨佳士得高級顧問
Robert D. Mowry 毛瑞
Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus,
Harvard Art Museums, and
Senior Consultant, Christie’s
Identified by the vajra 金剛杵, or “thunderbolt scepter”, held in the upraised right hand, this rare sculpture represents the Bodhisattva Vajrapani, who is known in Chinese as Jin’gangshou Pusa 金剛手菩薩, or “holder of the thunderbolt”, and who is the protector of the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni 釈迦牟尼佛. In Tibeto-Chinese style, this important sculpture was made for the Imperial Court during the Xuande reign (1426–1435) of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) as evinced by the inscription reading Da Ming Xuande nian shi.
Extensively represented in Buddhist art, Vajrapani is among the earliest to appear of the three protective bodhisattvas associated with the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha’s virtues: Avalokiteshvara 觀世音菩薩 manifests the Buddha’s immense compassion, Manjushri 文殊菩薩 manifests the Buddha’s wisdom, and Vajrapani not only protects the Buddha but manifests the his power. Vajrapani is also widely venerated in his dual manifestation as the “vajra warriors” 金剛力士—also known as the “Benevolent Kings” 仁王—the two loincloth-clad, muscular guardian deities who typically stand on either side of the shanmen gate 山門殿, the main gateway to a temple or monastery, and thereby guard the temple precincts.
A vajra 金剛杵, a Buddhist ritual implement, is a short, symmetrical metal scepter with two spherical heads, each with curved prongs; it symbolizes the properties of a diamond (hardness and indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force) while also emblemizing spiritual power and firmness of spirit. In holding the vajra, Vajrapani represents the Buddha’s power. With his left hand at chest level, he forms a variation on the vitarka-mudra 尋印, the palm facing outward, the ring finger touching the thumb to form a circle. The gesture symbolizes discursive reasoning and thought. (A ritual hand gesture, a mudra 手印 symbolizes a particular action, power, or attitude of a deity.)
In fact, Vajrapani is a bodhisattva 菩薩, a benevolent being who has gained enlightenment but who has selflessly postponed entry into nirvana 涅槃 in order to assist other sentient beings—有情 or 眾生—in gaining enlightenment. Meaning “enlightened being”, a bodhisattva is an altruistic being who is dedicated to assisting other sentient beings in achieving release from the samsara cycle of birth and rebirth 輪迴 through the attainment of enlightenment.
The style of this sculpture belongs to a long artistic tradition that can be traced to northeastern India in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, which then spread to Nepal and Tibet. The flowering of the Nepali variant of that style in China during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) is often linked to the influence of Anige 阿尼哥 (1245–1306), a young Nepali artist who was brought to Beijing in 1262 by Chogyal Phags’pa 八思巴 (1235–1280), an influential Tibetan monk of the Sakya sect and state preceptor for Khubilai Khan 忽必烈 (1215–1294), the founder of the Yuan dynasty. Anige played an important role at the Mongol court, serving as the director of all artisan classes and as the controller of the Directorate for Imperial Manufactories 少府監.
Although Tibetan Buddhist imagery began to appear in the repertory of Chinese art already in the Yuan dynasty, Tibetan influence on Chinese Buddhist art became far more pronounced in the Ming dynasty, particularly during the Yongle era (1403–1424), when the imperial court looked favorably upon Buddhism and made a concerted effort to build secular and religious alliances with Tibet, even inviting Tibetan monks to the capital, Beijing, to conduct religious services. Such Tibetan influence manifests itself in the sensuousness of the art, as witnessed in this figure’s elegant proportions, S-curved posture, dazzling jewels, refined gestures, abundant and meticulously rendered details, and compressed double-lotus base. As important as Tibetan-influenced works of art were early in fifteenth-century China, particularly during the Yongle and Xuande (1426–1435) reigns, Tibetan-style Buddhism was little practiced outside the imperial court, so most such images likely were made for the court, as indicated by the imperial inscriptions.
This sculpture’s broad shoulders, smooth torso, and long legs derive from Indian traditions, as do the sheer, diaphanous drapery and such items of jewelry as the bracelets and armbands. By contrast the broad, somewhat square face with high cheekbones, sensuous eyes, and elegantly curved eyebrows; the Five-Point Crown 五佛冠—also called the Five Buddha Crown as each vertical element represents one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas 五智如来; the large, circular earrings; the long, elaborate, beaded necklace; and the beaded cincture at the waist and beaded anklets all stem from Nepali and Tibetan traditions.
Numerous sculptures in this Nepali-Tibetan-influenced style were produced during the Yongle and Xuande reigns, the style continuing into the sixteenth century with but little change or evolution. The soft folds in the scarf draped over the bodhisattva’s shoulders and arms and the loose pleats of the sarong-like dhoti 腰布are typical of works produced in the imperial workshops during the Yongle and Xuande reigns, as is the careful finishing of the back.
The formulaic, six-character inscription reading Da Ming Xuande nian shi, which is engraved at the center of the base’s flat top and which may be translated “Bestowed [during the] Xuande era [of the] Great Ming”, dates this sculpture to the Xuande reign (1426–1435) of the Ming dynasty, a period of great artistic refinement in China. Engraved after casting, inscriptions on such Tibeto-Chinese-style bronzes typically read from left to right, as seen here, and end with the verb shi, in this context meaning “bestow”, rather than with the verb zhi, meaning “made”, which is typically seen in the imperial marks of porcelains of the same period.
A virtually identical, Xuande-marked, gilt-bronze sculpture of Vajrapani sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, lot 3107. (Fig. 1) Another closely related example in the National Museum of China, Beijing, is illustrated in Lu Zhangshen, ed., Zhongguo gudai fo zaoxiang yishu, Beijing, 2011, pl. 116. A kindred Xuande-marked, gilt bronze sculpture depicting Avalokiteshvara and dated by inscription to 1435 sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 2839. And a related Xuande-marked sculpture of Avalokiteshvara from the collection of English scholar and British Museum curator Soame Jenyns (1904–1976) sold at Christie’s London, on 6 November 2018, lot 26. (Fig. 2) The Himalayan Art Resources website illustrates and describes four additional Chinese, gilt-bronze sculptures of Vajrapani that are now in private collections, that are similar in style to the present Vajrapani, and that, although dating to the fifteenth century, lack imperial inscriptions (object nos. 1694, 19457, 21821, 330332).
哈佛大學藝術博物館亞洲部榮譽主任暨佳士得高級顧問