A SILVER FIGURE OF BUDDHA


SWAT VALLEY, 7TH/8TH CENTURYHimalayan Art Resources item no.61725 11.8 cm (4 3/4 in.) high
|Located along the ancient Silk Road, the Swat Valley was once a vibrant center of Buddhism with fluid artistic traditions. The invasion of the Huns in the 5th century curtailed Buddhism in the broader Gandhara, but Swat Valley provided a safe haven. The small corpus of Swat Buddhist bronzes is highly treasured for the sculptures' unique hybridity of styles and their pivotal influence on later schools of Kashmir and Western Tibet. At the time, rare and more precious than gilded bronze, the present work is of few known examples cast in silver. Exemplifying the artistic acumen of Swat Valley's metal casters, this figure's robe features prominent rippling folds, contrasting with the simplicity of the lotus petals to create a pleasing rhythm. The tightly-waisted lotus base with artichoke-shaped large petals, the robe's wide collar across both shoulders, and the neatly arranged U-shaped drapery are all characteristic of works from Swat. See closely related examples made during the 7th-8th centuries published in von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Hong Kong, 2001, pp.32-3, nos.2A-E. Another stylistic parallel is a stone sculpture of Buddha from the same period in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc. no.1995.570.2). Similar to the Metropolitan's piece, there would have been a separately cast halo behind this silver figure, as indicated by its unfished back and projecting tang.  In far shorter supply than gold within Central Asia and the Himalayas, silver is typically only used sparingly within the eyes and urna of Swat, Kashmir, and Tibetan sculptures. It is inlaid in these instances to convey the special consciousness of Buddhism's enlightened beings. Thus the material is not only deemed pleasing to the eye, but conveys spiritual luminescence. This is amplified when the sculpture is produced entirely from silver. The increased cost of manufacture using the precious material was also deemed to accrue increased merit. ProvenancePrivate Asian Collection, February 2008 Private European Collection 銀質佛坐像 斯瓦特河谷，七/八世紀 喜馬拉雅藝術資源網61725號 高11.8釐米（4 3/4 英吋） 1,200,000-1,800,000港元 位於古代絲綢之路沿線，斯瓦特谷曾是一個繁榮的佛教聖地，並以其獨具一格的藝術風格所聞名。五世紀前後由於匈奴入侵，佛教在犍陀羅一帶受到重挫，而斯瓦特得天獨厚的地裡位置為佛教的發展提供了一方安寧的淨土。斯瓦特造像風格匯聚了早先不同藝術源流，並且深深影響了後世克什米爾以及藏西地區的造像風格，加上其存世數量稀少，因此具有很高收藏價值。相較於鎏金銅像而言，純銀造像在當時更加稀有珍貴，而此件作品正是極為罕見的幾件存世斯瓦特銀像之一。 作為斯瓦特精美佛像的代表之作，此尊刻畫佛陀身著僧袍，衣紋起落明顯，與簡潔素雅的蓮瓣形成鮮明對比，妙趣橫生。蓮座深束腰，蓮瓣寬大飽滿，僧袍領大繞肩，衣褶呈工整U字形分佈等都是斯瓦特造像的明顯特徵。參照馮·施羅德先生著作《西藏佛教造像》中收綠的幾尊極為類似的七至八世紀造像（香港，2001，頁32-3，圖2A-E）。亦可對比紐約大都會博物館藏的一尊風格相似的同時期石佛坐像（館藏編號1995.570.2）。根據造像背面伸出的榫子和未完成的僧袍推測，此尊原本也帶有一單獨鑄造的背光。 白銀的產量在中亞及喜馬拉雅地區遠遠少於黃金，因此在斯瓦特、克什米爾及同時期的西藏造像中銀只少量鑲嵌於眼部及白毫處，用以表現圓滿證悟者超然的境界。稀有的白銀不僅讓人賞心悅目，同時還傳達著佛陀由內而外散發的微妙佛光。當整尊佛像都用白銀打造時，其高昂的造價更顯示出功德主虔誠堅定的信念。 來源 亞洲私人收藏，2008年2月 歐洲私人收藏