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A FINE BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA, SWAT VALLEY
奥地利
12月16日 晚上6点 开拍 /6天18小时
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Description

A FINE BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA, SWAT VALLEY

Expert’s note: The combined nimbus and aureole backplate of the present work is related to the small group of late Gandharan bronzes where the backplate has survived. The form is clearly related to the stucco halos found in niches in the caves of Bamiyan, dated to the late sixth and early seventh centuries, and it is partly through this connection that scholars have dated the corpus of the late Gandhara bronzes.

Northern Pakistan, in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, circa 7th-8th century or later. Heavily cast, seated in dhyanasana on a double-lotus base atop a raised square pedestal supported by two mythical animals and a yaksha, his left hand lowered on his knee and right hand held before his chest, while secondary arms rise above his shoulders. The Bodhisattva of Compassion clad in a diaphanous dhoti and richly bejeweled with collars, armlets, and bracelets. The rounded face bearing a serene expression, marked by almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows, a broad nose, and full lips forming a calm smile, while long, pendulous earlobes support large earrings. The figure is crowned with an elaborate tiara of floral motifs centered by an image of Buddha Amitabha, and set against a large backplate that serves as an aureole.

Provenance: La Balaustra Antichità, Arte Archeologia classica orientale e precolombiana, 2002, Bologna, Italy. Collection of Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022), acquired from the above. A copy of a stamped certificate written by Giuliana Zanetti of Antichità La Balaustra, adressed to Paolo Bertuzzi, dated 8 August 2002, dating the present lot to the 7th-8th century, accompanies this lot. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was a fashion stylist from Bologna. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother’s business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than sixty years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with expected wear and casting irregularities. Light warping. Some corrosion. Occasional small nicks, faint surface scratches, and minute dents. The bronze surface with a rich, naturally grown patina with areas of deep malachite and soil encrustations.

Weight: 1,442 g
Dimensions: Height 23.4 cm

While later Kashmiri and Nepalese figures of Avalokiteshvara depict him standing, most Swat Valley sculptures show him seated. The prototype for this pose is the pensive bodhisattva that emerged in Gandhara in the early centuries AD. One interpretation identifies these figures as the Prince Siddhartha himself, who in watching the plowing of his father's fields, began to meditate on the suffering of all beings. The serene pose of these figures, articulating the compassion shown by the young Buddha, naturally suited depictions of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with the inclusion of the lotus as an identifying iconographic symboll.

The Swat Valley is located along the upper stream of the Indus in the heartland of the Gandhara region. It was a melting pot of various people and arts and served as a link between India and Central Asia and further eastwards for a constant flow of Buddhist pilgrims. The earlier Gandhara style is still echoed in the art of many icons of the Swat Valley, as visible in the present example. The Buddha's parallel folds as well as the protuberance on top of his head, can be traced back to Gandhara Buddha figures. However, the V-shaped pleats around his neck are associated with Kashmiri prototypes, as is the use of silver inlay. His face reflects a Gupta idiom, with its small mouth and incised eyebrows. The lotus base on which he sits is typical for Swat Valley images. Thus, this fine bronze Buddha figure perfectly embodies the aforementioned melting pot of various styles.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 September 2006, lot 50
Estimate: USD 16,800 or approx. EUR 23,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, Swat valley, 7th-8th century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling of the figure and manner of casting. Note the smaller size (14.5 cm).

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拍品估价:1,000 - 2,000 欧元 起拍价格:1,000 欧元  买家佣金: 30.00%

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