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Lot Essay
A RARE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF A SEATED BODHISATTVA
Robert D. Mowry 毛瑞
Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus,
Harvard Art Museums, and
Senior Consultant, Christie’s
Dating to the Liao dynasty (AD 916–1125) and complete with its original, integrally cast lotus base, this sculpture represents a bodhisattva 菩薩, a benevolent being who has attained enlightenment 菩提 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. Often exhibited and frequently published, this rare sculpture is a masterpiece of Liao Buddhist art.
Elegantly outfitted in sumptuous trappings, bodhisattvas are presented in the guise of an early Indian prince, a reference to Siddhartha Gautama’s worldly status before he became the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni 釈迦牟尼佛, implying that as Siddhartha 悉達多喬達摩 (traditionally, c. 563–c. 483 BC), who was born a crown prince, became a Buddha 佛, so will bodhisattvas eventually become Buddhas, once all sentient beings have attained 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; bodhisattvas thus embody the Mahayana 大乘佛教 ideal of delivering all living creatures from suffering 普度眾生. Thanks to their enormous stores of meritorious karma, bodhisattvas are able to assist others through the transfer of meritorious karma to those in need, a concept known in Sanskrit as parinamana and in Chinese as huixiang 回向 or 迴向.
As witnessed by this figure, bodhisattvas are typically depicted with a single head, two arms, and two legs, though they in fact may be shown with multiple heads and limbs, depending upon the individual bodhisattva and the particular manifestation as described in the sutras 佛經, or sacred texts. Richly attired, bodhisattvas, who may be presented either standing or seated, are represented with long hair often arranged in a tall coiffure, or bun, atop the head and with long tresses of hair cascading over the shoulders. A crown sometimes surrounds the high coiffure as seen in this sculpture. Bodhisattvas wear ornamental scarves and ribbons, dhotis of rich silk brocade, and a wealth of jewelry that includes necklaces, armlets, bracelets, and anklets. Like Buddhas, bodhisattvas have distended earlobes, but, unlike the Buddhas, they typically wear earrings. Though bodhisattvas are generally shown barefoot, as in this sculpture, both early Indian and early Chinese images of bodhisattvas are occasionally shown wearing sandals, often of plaited straw.
Buddhist scriptures speak of countless bodhisattvas, a few of whom are named and coupled with specific virtues. Such named bodhisattvas—Avalokiteshvara, or Guanyin, for example—are identified by their particular iconographic attribute, that is the object or symbol they hold. Due to the lack of an associated iconographic symbol, the identify of the present bodhisattva remains unknown.
This sculpture dates to the Liao dynasty (AD 916–1125), probably to the eleventh or early twelfth century. Inhabiting areas of what are now parts of Mongolia and northeast China, the Khitan 契丹, also spelled Qidan, were a nomadic people who rose to prominence during the turbulence that followed the collapse of the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907). Ruling as the Liao dynasty (AD 916–1125)—also known as the Khitan Empire 契丹國—the Khitan extended China’s northern frontiers over a vast territorial expanse that, at its height, included the North China Plain, Manchuria, Southern Dauria 達烏里亞 (also known as Transbaikal 外貝加爾湖), and the Mongolian Plateau. Buddhist in religious orientation, the Liao dynasty was the cultural and artistic successor to the Tang dynasty. Even so, as Liao was a neighbor to and coeval with Northern Song (AD 960–1127), the arts of Liao share many stylistic elements with those of the Song, as well.
Stylistic features that point to this sculpture’s Liao date include the round face with small mouth and pursed lips; the small, almond-shaped eyes set in deep sockets and partially closed in meditation; the elaborate coiffure that holds the hair not just in a bun but in two loops of hair that arc from the front to back; an elaborate head ornament with a floral motif that rises in front of the arcing tresses of hair; the bows that appear above the ears on either side of the head and from which ribbons descend onto the shoulders; a breastplate with cloud collar 雲肩; a capelet draped over the shoulders with cuffs that flare at the elbows; the exquisite, detailed finishing of both the front and the back of the sculpture; and the numerous scarves, sashes, and ribbons, with a sash tied with a bow at the waist that secures the dhoti 腰布 in place, and with and a long scarf that extends around the back of the figure, flows across the raised arms, and falls gracefully onto the knees.
Like the present figure, the closely related, Liao, gilt bronze, seated bodhisattva that sold at Christie’s, New York, 19 March 2008, lot 396 wears a breastplate with a cloud collar 雲肩 and has the hair arranged in double loops. (Fig. 1) A seated Maitreya sculpture of Liao date in the collection of the British Museum, London (1959,0713.1) is closely related to the present sculpture in style (Fig. 2), as is a Liao seated bodhisattva in the Harvard Art Museums (1965.467) and another in the Capital Museum, Beijing. (See: Mei Ninghua and Tao Xincheng, Buddhist Statues I, Beijing, 2001, pp. 66-9, nos. 27-30.) Also kindred in style is a Liao gilt bronze representing a six-armed bodhisattva, presumably Guanyin, that sold at Christie’s New York, 24 March 2004, Lot 81.
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
Dating to the Liao dynasty (AD 916–1125) and complete with its original, integrally cast lotus base, this sculpture represents a bodhisattva 菩薩, a benevolent being who has attained enlightenment 菩提 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. Often exhibited and frequently published, this rare sculpture is a masterpiece of Liao Buddhist art.
Elegantly outfitted in sumptuous trappings, bodhisattvas are presented in the guise of an early Indian prince, a reference to Siddhartha Gautama’s worldly status before he became the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni 釈迦牟尼佛, implying that as Siddhartha 悉達多喬達摩 (traditionally, c. 563–c. 483 BC), who was born a crown prince, became a Buddha 佛, so will bodhisattvas eventually become Buddhas, once all sentient beings have attained 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; bodhisattvas thus embody the Mahayana 大乘佛教 ideal of delivering all living creatures from suffering 普度眾生. Thanks to their enormous stores of meritorious karma, bodhisattvas are able to assist others through the transfer of meritorious karma to those in need, a concept known in Sanskrit as parinamana and in Chinese as huixiang 回向 or 迴向.
As witnessed by this figure, bodhisattvas are typically depicted with a single head, two arms, and two legs, though they in fact may be shown with multiple heads and limbs, depending upon the individual bodhisattva and the particular manifestation as described in the sutras 佛經, or sacred texts. Richly attired, bodhisattvas, who may be presented either standing or seated, are represented with long hair often arranged in a tall coiffure, or bun, atop the head and with long tresses of hair cascading over the shoulders. A crown sometimes surrounds the high coiffure as seen in this sculpture. Bodhisattvas wear ornamental scarves and ribbons, dhotis of rich silk brocade, and a wealth of jewelry that includes necklaces, armlets, bracelets, and anklets. Like Buddhas, bodhisattvas have distended earlobes, but, unlike the Buddhas, they typically wear earrings. Though bodhisattvas are generally shown barefoot, as in this sculpture, both early Indian and early Chinese images of bodhisattvas are occasionally shown wearing sandals, often of plaited straw.
Buddhist scriptures speak of countless bodhisattvas, a few of whom are named and coupled with specific virtues. Such named bodhisattvas—Avalokiteshvara, or Guanyin, for example—are identified by their particular iconographic attribute, that is the object or symbol they hold. Due to the lack of an associated iconographic symbol, the identify of the present bodhisattva remains unknown.
This sculpture dates to the Liao dynasty (AD 916–1125), probably to the eleventh or early twelfth century. Inhabiting areas of what are now parts of Mongolia and northeast China, the Khitan 契丹, also spelled Qidan, were a nomadic people who rose to prominence during the turbulence that followed the collapse of the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907). Ruling as the Liao dynasty (AD 916–1125)—also known as the Khitan Empire 契丹國—the Khitan extended China’s northern frontiers over a vast territorial expanse that, at its height, included the North China Plain, Manchuria, Southern Dauria 達烏里亞 (also known as Transbaikal 外貝加爾湖), and the Mongolian Plateau. Buddhist in religious orientation, the Liao dynasty was the cultural and artistic successor to the Tang dynasty. Even so, as Liao was a neighbor to and coeval with Northern Song (AD 960–1127), the arts of Liao share many stylistic elements with those of the Song, as well.
Stylistic features that point to this sculpture’s Liao date include the round face with small mouth and pursed lips; the small, almond-shaped eyes set in deep sockets and partially closed in meditation; the elaborate coiffure that holds the hair not just in a bun but in two loops of hair that arc from the front to back; an elaborate head ornament with a floral motif that rises in front of the arcing tresses of hair; the bows that appear above the ears on either side of the head and from which ribbons descend onto the shoulders; a breastplate with cloud collar 雲肩; a capelet draped over the shoulders with cuffs that flare at the elbows; the exquisite, detailed finishing of both the front and the back of the sculpture; and the numerous scarves, sashes, and ribbons, with a sash tied with a bow at the waist that secures the dhoti 腰布 in place, and with and a long scarf that extends around the back of the figure, flows across the raised arms, and falls gracefully onto the knees.
Like the present figure, the closely related, Liao, gilt bronze, seated bodhisattva that sold at Christie’s, New York, 19 March 2008, lot 396 wears a breastplate with a cloud collar 雲肩 and has the hair arranged in double loops. (Fig. 1) A seated Maitreya sculpture of Liao date in the collection of the British Museum, London (1959,0713.1) is closely related to the present sculpture in style (Fig. 2), as is a Liao seated bodhisattva in the Harvard Art Museums (1965.467) and another in the Capital Museum, Beijing. (See: Mei Ninghua and Tao Xincheng, Buddhist Statues I, Beijing, 2001, pp. 66-9, nos. 27-30.) Also kindred in style is a Liao gilt bronze representing a six-armed bodhisattva, presumably Guanyin, that sold at Christie’s New York, 24 March 2004, Lot 81.
哈佛大學藝術博物館亞洲部榮譽主任暨佳士得高級顧問