A VERY RARE BUDDHIST VOTIVE PAINTING

ANOTHER PROPERTY

Details

A VERY RARE BUDDHIST VOTIVE PAINTING
DATED KANGXI THIRTY-FOURTH YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1696 AND OF THE PERIOD

Finely painted and with elaborate details executed on silk, depicting five manifestations of Guanyin, each figure emanating a nimbus framing a full face, the main central figure wearing a diadem with an image of the Amitabha, dressed in a loose flowing robe draped across the shoulders to reveal beaded jewellery chains adorning the bare chest, holding an upright lotus spray with both hands, the other four figures similarly painted, all against a dense swirling cloud background, the bottom right label bearing the inscriptions of the donors, and the left corner inscribed with the date and the name of the artist
52 1/2 x 29 1/2 in. (133.3 x 75 cm.) framed and glazed

Lot Essay

The inscription reserved on the left rectangular panel indicates that this painting was executed by a head monk with the monastic name of Xuan Qing Tu. The name of the temple does not appear to be recorded but the text dates the painting to the auspicious third month of the thirty-fourth year of the Kangxi period (1696). The donors all share the same surname of Zhou from Quwu district, were probably from the same family.

Compare with two examples of this type of Buddhist votive painting, the first with a Guanyin surrounded by four Bodhisattvas, dated to the early Qing dynasty, tenth year of Shunzhi (1654), sold in these Rooms, 5 November 1997, lot 1077; and another of a Ming dynasty date that corresponds to 1592, depicting five standing Buddha, sold in these Rooms, 3 November 1998, lot 1034.

More from Important Chinese Art

View All