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A RARE AND IMPORTANT BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA, GORYEO DYNASTY
奥地利
09月11日 下午5点 开拍
拍品描述

Description

A RARE AND IMPORTANT BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA, GORYEO DYNASTY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve

Published:
1. Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, Two Americans in Paris. A Quest for Asian Art, Paris, 2016, p. 120, no. 216.
2. Pointe-à-Callière Museum, Two Americans in Paris. A Quest for Asian Art, Montréal, 2016, exhibition album, p. 26.

Exhibited:
1. Pointe-à-Callière Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Montréal, 17 November 2016-19 March 2017.
2. Kimbell Art Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Fort Worth, Texas, 4 March-19 August 2018.

Expert’s note:
The serene and contemplative expression of this Buddha head, combined with meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship, render this not only a significant cultural relic but also a representation of the artistic and spiritual heights attained during the Goryeo dynasty. Its existence today affirms the transcendental beauty and profound devotion that defined Goryeo's artistic legacy.

Korea, 918-1392. Finely cast with a serene expression, marked by heavy-lidded downcast eyes, gently arched brows, a slender nose, and bow-shaped lips gently pursed to form a calm smile, flanked by large ears with pendulous lobes. The hair arranged in sharp spikes surrounding the tall ushnisha fronted by an oval cudamani.

Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Overall good condition with extensive wear, casting irregularities, obvious losses, small fissures and cracks, signs of weathering, encrustations, remnants of gilt. The bronze with a naturally grown, dark patina.

Weight: 7,599 g
Dimensions: Height 24 cm (excl. stand), 36.5 cm (incl. stand)

The creative accomplishments of the Goryeo Dynasty are exemplified by this bronze head of Buddha, which captures the period's sophisticated culture and fervent religious devotion. The Goryeo dynasty was distinguished by a strong devotion to Buddhism that pervaded all societal levels, from royalty to commoners. It was noted for its integration and refinement of earlier cultural traditions with a pluralistic approach. Goryeo's founder, Taejo Wang Geon (877-943), laid the groundwork for a patronage culture that strongly favored Buddhist art when the dynasty was established. As a result of Wang Geon's influence as a patron, the arts were later supported by the elites of the Buddhist, aristocratic, and royal classes.

Goryeo artisans, under court patronage, strived to meet high standards, producing superb bronzes such as this Buddha head, which testifies to the era's artistic and technical finesse. Unlike this large-scale sculpture, Buddhist images were often portable and used for private worship, and made from various materials such as wood, lacquer, clay, stone, and metal. Most surviving examples from the Goryeo period are small bronze votive images and stone carvings due to the fragility of materials like wood and lacquer. This bronze Buddha head is therefore among the rarities that have endured the passage of time.

Literature comparison:
The present head was possibly once entirely covered in gilding; compare, for instance, a closely related smaller gilt-bronze head of Buddha, dated to the 900s and measuring 8.6 cm in height, in the Cleveland Museum of Art (accession no. 1985.190).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 29 October 2024, lot 628
Price: HKD 960,000 or approx. EUR 106,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze head of Buddha, early Goryeo dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and manner of casting with similar expression. Note the size (34.5 cm).

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价格信息

拍品估价:5,000 - 10,000 欧元 起拍价格:2,600 欧元  买家佣金: 35.00%

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