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Lot Essay
This serene marble figure of a monk likely depicts Buddha’s disciple Kasyapa, who together with Ananda, is often portrayed flanking images of Buddha. Kasyapa is generally shown as more elderly, with his hands held together at the chest like the present figure, and Ananda is depicted as a youth, with the hands clasped in front of him. The present figure carries a rectangular object, probably a sutra, as Kasyapa was traditionally believed to have been responsible for the first Chinese translation of 'The Scripture in Forty-two Sections', Sishi'er zhang jing, an Indian Buddhist text which he and two other monks brought to China in the Eastern Han dynasty.
Related marble figures, of similar and larger sizes than the present figure, have been dated from the Tang to the Song dynasty. Two much larger figures of Kasyapa and Ananda (175 cm. and 157 cm.) in the Shanghai Museum, with Kasyapa featuring similar facial features and hand placement to the present figure, dated to the Song dynasty, are illustrated in Ancient Chinese Sculpture Gallery, The Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 1996, nos. 65-66. The manner of carving seen on the loosely draped robes on the Shanghai examples is also quite similar to that on the present figure, as are the carved lotus bases.
Two related figures of Kasyapa and Ananda, slightly larger (87 cm. and 82 cm.) than the present example, dated AD 752, with small facial features, although clad in slightly more elaborate robes standing on an open lotus flower, are in the Foguang Monastery, and illustrated by J. Li in Essence of Buddhistic Statues, Beijing, 1996, p. 152, no. 132. A related marble figure with the hands held in front of him and with similar facial features and robe to the present figure, although much larger (169.9 cm.), dated to the Tang dynasty, is in the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, and illustrated in Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Buddhist Statues in Overseas Collections, vol. 6, Beijing, 2005, p. 1135.
This rare and sensitively carved sculpture has an impressive record of provenance and exhibition, dating back to 1940. (Fig. 1) Exhibited twice by C. T. Loo, the sculpture is also featured in a rare photograph of the famous dealer, now in the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. (Fig. 2) If viewing these illustrations online please refer to additional images 6-8.
Related marble figures, of similar and larger sizes than the present figure, have been dated from the Tang to the Song dynasty. Two much larger figures of Kasyapa and Ananda (175 cm. and 157 cm.) in the Shanghai Museum, with Kasyapa featuring similar facial features and hand placement to the present figure, dated to the Song dynasty, are illustrated in Ancient Chinese Sculpture Gallery, The Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 1996, nos. 65-66. The manner of carving seen on the loosely draped robes on the Shanghai examples is also quite similar to that on the present figure, as are the carved lotus bases.
Two related figures of Kasyapa and Ananda, slightly larger (87 cm. and 82 cm.) than the present example, dated AD 752, with small facial features, although clad in slightly more elaborate robes standing on an open lotus flower, are in the Foguang Monastery, and illustrated by J. Li in Essence of Buddhistic Statues, Beijing, 1996, p. 152, no. 132. A related marble figure with the hands held in front of him and with similar facial features and robe to the present figure, although much larger (169.9 cm.), dated to the Tang dynasty, is in the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, and illustrated in Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Buddhist Statues in Overseas Collections, vol. 6, Beijing, 2005, p. 1135.
This rare and sensitively carved sculpture has an impressive record of provenance and exhibition, dating back to 1940. (Fig. 1) Exhibited twice by C. T. Loo, the sculpture is also featured in a rare photograph of the famous dealer, now in the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. (Fig. 2) If viewing these illustrations online please refer to additional images 6-8.