A POLYCHROMED STUCCO FIGURE OF BUDDHA


ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 4TH/5TH CENTURY75 cm (29 1/2 in.) high
|"Each central Buddha stands... with a slight flexion to the body, as indicated by the bent position of one leg and the gentle thrust of the hip to one side. The forms appear to be rhythmic and natural... Though fully dressed, the figures are clad in drapery so clinging it reveals virtually all of the forms of the bodies beneath... [The facial features are] characterized by the downcast eyes, gently smiling expression, and refinement of the treatment of individual elements of the face. A feeling of quiescence and introspection is conveyed by the face, expressive of the peace and inner tranquility possessed by all Buddhas." (Huntington, The Art of Ancient India, New York, 1985, pp.201-2.)   With this quote, Huntington summarizes key features of the Gupta style of 4th- to 6th-century northern India, regarded as the golden age of Indian sculpture. Yet her words also aptly describe this rare 4th/5th-century stucco figure of Buddha from the ancient region of Gandhara. This is because the sculpture demonstrates an exciting hybridity of Gandharan and Gupta styles.   This hybrid style then travelled throughout the ancient Silk Road, exerting great influence on the Buddhist sculpture of Central Asia and 5th-century China, a topic explored thoroughly in the 2016-7 landmark exhibition, Across the Silk Road: Gupta Sculptures and Their Chinese Counterparts during 400-700AD. In the catalog's discussion, Luo remarks on numerous 5th-century stone and bronze sculptures found between the Hexi Corridor and the Northern Wei dynasty's heartland, reflecting a hybridity of Gandharan and Gupta styles that resulted from cultural exchange across the Eurasian continent (Luo in Across the Silk Road, Vol.II, Beijing, 2016, pp.146-7).   The sculpture would have been produced at an important stupa located in or near a key commercial center along the ancient Silk Road, likely in modern day Afganistan, such as Hadda. Increased trade with northern India followed the Gupta king Samudragupta's subjugation of territories within Ancient Gandhara in the 4th century. The sculpture shows shifting perceptions of the idealized physiognomy of Buddha's body, from the muscular Gandharan to the supple Gupta. Also shifting is the character of Buddha's serene expression, from the confidence of the Gandharan style to the quietude of the Gupta. Yet the heavy Gandharan robe remains. Related examples are published in Kurita, Gandharan Art, Vol.II, Tokyo, 1990, no.305 and sold at Christie's, New York, 20 March 2012, lot 12, the present sculpture comparing favorably to both with its better preserved pigmentation, more graceful modeling, and invoking calm. Published Chandreyi Basu, Displaying Many Faces: Art and Gandharan Identity, Selection from the David R. Nalin Collection, China, 2004, p.80, no.81. Proveance David R. Nalin Collection, since 1992彩繪灰泥佛像犍陀羅，四/五世紀 高75釐米（29 1/2英吋）700,000-900,000港元 「每一尊中央的佛陀......身體微彎地站着，一腿屈曲，臀部輕柔地傾於一側，體態優美自然......雖然穿戴齊整，披身長袍緊貼身軀，體形無遺表露......臉部眼睛低垂，微笑柔和，表情精巧細緻，傳達出平靜和內省的情緒，以及佛陀內心的和平與寧靜。」（Huntington，《The Art of Ancient India》，紐約，1985年，頁201-2）  Huntington憑藉這段話，總結了四至六世紀印度北部笈多風格的主要特徵並且認定笈多時期是印度雕塑的黃金時代。她的評語也正好適用於這尊來自四/五世紀古犍陀羅的罕見灰泥佛像。此尊造像淋漓地融合並重新詮釋了犍陀羅和笈多的雕塑風格。  此類藝術交融風格其後經過古代絲綢之路，對中亞和五世紀中國的佛教雕塑產生了巨大影響，並在2016-2017年梵天東土 並蒂蓮華：西元400-700年印度和中國雕塑藝術展，一次里程碑式展覽中得到深刻的探索。在展覽圖錄的討論中，策展人羅文華認為河西走廊和北魏王朝中心地帶發現的眾多五世紀石器和銅造像，反映了歐亞大陸文化交流所產生的犍陀羅與笈多的混合風（見於《梵天東土 並蒂蓮華》，卷二，北京，2016年，頁146-7）。  此座塑像也許是為古代絲綢之路一個重要貿易中心或附近的重要佛塔所造，很可能來自現阿富汗的哈達。笈多國王沙摩陀羅·笈多在四世紀征服了古代犍陀羅的領土後，與印度北部的貿易越來越頻密。此雕塑展示了當時對佛陀容貌認知的轉變，犍陀羅風的肌肉健碩融合了笈多風的柔美。佛陀祥和的神態也有所轉變，犍陀羅風的自信增添了更多笈多風的靜謐內斂；造像依舊保有衣褶厚重的犍陀羅式長袍。相關作品刊於栗田功著作，《犍陀羅藝術》，卷二，東京，1990年，編號305，並於佳士得售出，紐約，2012年3月20日，拍品12號，本拍品比此兩尊的品相更佳，顏色保存更好，造型更優美，神態更沉靜。 著錄錢德雷·巴蘇，《Displaying Many Faces: Art and Gandharan Identity, Selection from the David R. Nalin Collection》，中國，2004年，頁80，編號81。來源 David R. Nalin收藏，自1992年