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国内拍卖首页 > Galerie Zacke > 亚洲艺术集珍 - 第二天 > Lot 0347
A WHITE MARBLE VOTIVE STELE OF THE AMITABHA TRIAD, DATED BY INSCRIPTION TO 559 AD
奥地利
04月17日 下午5点 开拍 /15天1小时
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Expert's Note:The inscription records that the statue was commissioned on the fifteenth day of the twelfth month of the tenth year of the Tianbao era, corresponding to 559 CE. The Tianbao reign period (550-559) belongs to the Northern Qi dynasty, one of the Dynasties that ruled northern China during the sixth century. Dated inscriptions from this period are relatively rare and provide valuable historical context for Buddhist sculpture.The donor identifies himself as Song Yonghe and bears the title Zhenyuan Jiangjun, usually translated as “General Who Pacifies the Distant Regions.” Such titles were part of the complex military and administrative hierarchy of the Northern Dynasties and were frequently granted to regional commanders. Individuals bearing these ranks often appear in dedicatory inscriptions on Buddhist sculptures, even though many of them are not recorded in the official dynastic histories such as the Book of Northern Qi or the History of the Northern Dynasties. The absence of Song Yonghe from these chronicles does not diminish the plausibility of the dedication; rather, it reflects the fact that numerous military figures participated in Buddhist patronage during this period.The text further states that the statue was commissioned for the benefit of the emperor, the donor's parents, himself, and all living beings. Such phrasing reflects the Buddhist concept of merit transfer, whereby the spiritual merit generated by commissioning a sacred image could be dedicated to others. The closing wish that all beings may “ascend early to the Three Assemblies” refers to the future sermons of the Buddha Maitreya, who according to Buddhist belief will appear in the distant future to teach the Dharma anew.Inscriptions of this type illuminate the role played by military officials in the spread of Buddhism during the Northern Dynasties. By sponsoring images and dedicating them for the benefit of both the ruling house and the wider community, donors such as Song Yonghe participated in a religious culture in which artistic patronage, political loyalty, and spiritual aspiration were closely intertwined.China, Northern Qi dynasty (550-577), dated 559 CE by inscription. Finely carved to depict Buddha Amitabha attended by the bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, the triad raised on a rectangular base carved in relief with a pair of guardian kings, a pair of lions, and a central incense burner. The figures are framed by a tall mandorla centered by a faceted stupa of Many Treasures, supported by a pair of dragons grasping in their jaws the ends of festooned garlands, which are also held by four apsaras in flight arranged two to each side. Above, the composition culminates in a seated figure of Prabhutaratna. The appearance of this stupa alludes to a well-known episode in the Lotus Sutra in which the stupa of the Buddha Prabhutaratna emerges in the sky to attest to the truth of the Buddha's teaching.Inscriptions: To the back, 'On the 15th day of the 12th month of the 10th year of the Tianbao era [559 CE], the Buddhist disciple, General Zhenyuan, Song Yonghe, respectfully had this white jade [sic!] statue made for His Majesty the Emperor, his parents, himself, and all living beings everywhere, so that all may share in eternal bliss and ascend early to the Three Assemblies.'Provenance: Weisbrod Chinese Art, New York, USA, acquired circa in the 1990s and held until 2007. Thereafter in an art storage facility in New Jersey, and deaccessioned in 2025. Michael B. Weisbrod is a noted scholar of Chinese art, who has published extensively on the subject over a time span of more than 50 years. In 1972, Michael joined his father Dr. Gerald Weisbrod's Asian art gallery in Toronto, Canada. The father-and-son team opened their New York location on Madison Avenue in 1977, and during the next 45 years the gallery held a significant number of exhibitions, selling to museums and private collectors across the globe, eventually adding further locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong.Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Old wear, small losses, few chips, natural fissures, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, and scattered nicks ad scratches. One old repair to a break across the top register of the stele. Overall with an exceptionally fine, naturally grown patina, rendering the marble an elegant cream color.Weight: 41.2 kg Dimensions: Height 74.5 cmAccording to the Lotus Sutra, apsaras are celestial beings who serve as protectors of the Buddha and his doctrine. These heavenly figures appear frequently in Buddhist cave temples from at least the early fifth century and grew increasingly popular over time. The depiction of Prabhutaratna, the Buddha of a previous age, refers to a famous episode in the Lotus Sutra in which his jeweled stupa appears in the sky to attest to the truth of the Buddha's teaching. The motif, particularly the visual presentation of the stupa supported by dragons and attended by celestial beings, represents a development characteristic of Chinese Buddhist art rather than a direct borrowing from Indian prototypes.Stone steles played an important role in the spread and visual expression of Buddhism in China. During the Northern Wei and Eastern Wei dynasties, strong imperial patronage helped establish Buddhism across northern China. At the same time, voluntary religious associations connected to local temples became major patrons of Buddhist monuments. These lay communities commissioned steles both as devotional offerings and as markers of their collective religious identity. Because stone was readily available and steles were relatively small in scale, numerous regional workshops emerged, each developing distinctive styles inspired in part by the monumental carvings of Buddhist cave temples. Many stone Buddhist sculptures were originally brightly painted, as were the temple interiors in which they were displayed.Literature comparison: Compare a closely related votive stele of Buddha Shakyamuni, Eastern Wei, dated to c. 545, 61 cm high, in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, accession number 128.1988. Compare a closely related stele with Buddhist triad, Sui dynasty or later, dated 581-618 or later, 49.2 cm high, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institute, accession number F1907.506.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby's New York, 17 September 2014, lot 415Mid-estimate: USD 135,000 or approx. EUR 159,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing: A white marble Buddhist stele, China, Northern Qi dynasty, dated Tianbao 4th year, corresponding to 553 ADExpert remark: Compare the closely related subject and similar modeling. Note the smaller size (48.9 cm). Also note that this stele is dated 553 AD whereas the present lot is dated 559 AD, so these two examples are only 6 years apart.

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