A STUCCO HEAD OF BUDDHA, YUAN TO MING DYNASTY
China, 14th-15th century. Well modeled with full cheeks and a serene expression, marked by heavy-lidded downcast eyes finely inlaid with black glass pupils, below arched brows centered by a recessed urna, above a broad nose and bow-shaped lips, flanked by long pendulous earlobes. The hair is arranged in tight snail-shell curls over the ushnisha.


Provenance:
French trade. By repute, acquired from an old private estate.

Condition:
Good condition, commensurate with age, displaying remarkably well. Extensive wear, obvious losses and flaking to the stucco, small chips and nicks, minor structural fissures, possibly small old repairs and/or touchups. Remnants of ancient pigments. Solid, naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 19.2 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 32.5 cm (excl. stand) and 44.5 cm (incl. stand)

With an associated stand. (2)


Several features link this head to similar sculptures
from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties in Shanxi province. The whorls of hair on this lot are painted blue, parting in the middle of the forehead, leading to a domed ushnisha. The ushnisha is free of hair and was previously painted red. Similar features are illustrated in Zhongguo meishu quanji - diaosu 6 Yuan Ming Qing diaosu, Beijing, 1988, pp. 63, no. 67, and pp. 91, no. 99. Similar in situ buddhas are still present in the temples in the Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2007, lot 228
Price: USD 57,600 or approx.
EUR 78,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A massive painted and gilt-lacquered stucco head of Buddha, Yuan/Ming dynasty, 14th-15th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling with similar expression, facial features, and hair. Note the lacquer gilding and larger size (82.6 cm).




元至明灰泥佛頭

中國, 十四至十五世紀。造型優美，臉頰飽滿，表情平靜，雙眼微閉，目中鑲嵌著黑色玻璃瞳孔，雙眉之間有白毫，寬鼻，長耳垂。頭上有螺髻。


來源：
法國古玩交易，據説來自一個私人舊藏。

品相：
品相良好，大面積磨損、灰泥缺損和剝落、小刻痕、輕微的結構裂縫、可能有小修。顏料殘餘。整體自然包漿。

重量：19.2 公斤 (含底座)
尺寸：高 32.5 厘米 (不含底座) 與44.5 厘米 (含底座)

配置底座。(2)


頭像的個別特徵與山西省元明時期的造像相似
。頭髮塗成藍色，在前額中間分開，有白毫。相近的特徵在《中國美術全集 - 雕塑 6元明清雕塑》，北京，1988 年，第 63 頁，圖67，和第 91 頁，圖99。山西平遙古城的寺廟中仍存有類似的造像。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2007年3月22日，lot 228
價格：USD 57,600（相當於今日
EUR 78,000
）
描述：十四至十五世紀元至明代鎏金灰泥頭
專家評論：比較非常相近的表情、面部特徵和髮型。請注意鎏金和尺寸較大 (82.6 釐米)。