A SILVER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI


SWAT VALLEY, 8TH/9TH CENTURYHimalayan Art Resources item no.61731 18 cm (7 in.) high
|Surviving in excellent condition with a brilliant green patina, this finely modeled sculpture is a classic Swat Valley rendition of Buddha Shakyamuni. Here the historical Buddha sits on a lavishly ornamented square throne, supported by two lions at the front corners and covered with a tasseled textile. The throne is elevated by a double lotus pedestal resting on a larger square base. According to Pal, placing Shakyamuni on such a throne associates him with royal imagery and emphasizes his spiritual sovereignty, while the lotus base symbolizes his divine quality (see Pal, Indian Sculpture, Vol.2, Los Angeles, 1988, pp.68-9).   Shakyamuni's enlightened nature is further signaled by his silver inlaid eyes and urna. Gently looking down with a compassionate expression, he extends his right hand in the gesture of charity. His left hand holds the hem of his robe. The iconography of Shakyamuni holding his garment is widely employed in seated Swat figures, extending the idiom from earlier Gandharan stone images. Compare the Swat stylistic treatment of the throne, gestures, and the robe's evenly arranged narrow folds with that of a closely related example published in von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Hong Kong, 2001, pp.40-1, figs.6A-C. Also see Pal, Bronzes of Kashmir, New Delhi, 1975, pp.194-5, no.73.   Provenance Private Italian Collection 銅錯銀釋迦牟尼坐像 斯瓦特河谷，八/九世紀 喜馬拉雅藝術資源網61731號 高18釐米（7英吋） 800,000-120,000港元 此尊釋迦牟尼像遵循斯瓦特造像傳統，鑄工精美，品相完好，綠色包漿明亮動人。佛陀端坐於獅子寶座之上，寶座以流蘇點綴，透著些許皇室的奢華。寶座下方為雙排蓮花底座，其下又襯以方形基座。學者Pal表示，此種寶座釋迦牟尼的形象將祂與皇室意象作連結，意為強調佛陀在精神領域的權威，而蓮座更象徵了佛陀超凡脫俗的神聖的地位（參見Pal，《The Bronzes of Kashmir》，卷二，洛杉磯，1988年，頁68-9）。 雙眼和白毫均以錯銀修飾，似乎意指釋迦牟尼已修成菩提。佛陀以溫和憐憫的表情俯視眾生，右手結予願印，左手輕握袈裟下擺。斯瓦特造像常刻劃釋迦牟尼端坐而手握袈裟，其形象取材自更早期的犍陀羅石像。參見其他帶有類似底座、手印和衣紋的斯瓦特作品，施羅德，《西藏佛教造像》，香港，2001年，頁40-1，6A-C號，以及Pal，《The Bronzes of Kashmir》，新德里，1975年，頁194-5，73號。 來源 意大利私人收藏