A MARBLE HEAD OF BUDDHA, TANG DYNASTY China, 618-907. The full face carved with small, delicate features, such as the heavy-lidded eyes below the gently arched eyebrows and the full lips pursed to form a subtle smile, all below the hair dressed in waves with two whorls above the forehead and a third whorl below the pronounced ushnisha.

Provenance: Collection of René Vittoz, thence by descent. René Vittoz (1904-1992) was a Swiss scholar of Romance languages and a teacher of French and art history. He authored several books, including ‘Essai sur les Conditions de la Poesie Pure’ and a play, ‘L’ivresse de Noé’ (Drunkenness of Noah). He was also a painter and a passionate collector of Asian and European works of art. After his death, a number of works in his collection were auctioned at Christie’s.
Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, losses, minor nicks and scratches. The back with two circular recesses showing remnants of iron, indicating a prior mounting. Fine, naturally grown, honey-brown patina.

Weight: 6.2 kg (incl. base)
Dimensions: Height 21 cm (excl. base) and 36.5 cm (incl. base)

Mounted to an old wood base with metal fittings, dating to the earlier 20^th century, allowing the head to be turned 360°. (2)

Literature comparison: Stylistically this head closely relates to other mid-Tang limestone figures from the Longmen caves. See two heads of Buddha (32 and 66 cm high) in the Avery Brundage Collection, illustrated in Chinese, Korean and Japanese Sculpture, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Japan, 1974, pp. 212-5, nos. 104 and 106 (the larger head with the object number B60S38+). Of particular note is the treatment of the hair, with both the illustrated examples and the present lot exhibiting two whorls above the forehead and a third whorl below a pronounced ushnisha. Another feature of this group is the relatively plump face, with deeply set eyes beneath high, arched eyebrows. These same features are also seen on a number of other examples from this group, illustrated in The Lost Statues of the Longmen Caves, Shanghai, 1993, pp. 49-59.

Auction result comparison: Compare a related but smaller (12.7 cm high) marble head of a bodhisattva, also dated to the Tang dynasty, at Sotheby’s New York in Important Chinese Art on 21 September 2021, lot 109, sold for USD 40,320. Compare a related but smaller (11.5 cm high) dark gray stone head of Buddha, also dated to the Tang dynasty and with distinct whorls, at Christie’s London in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 15 May 2018, lot 158, sold for GBP 18,750. Compare a related dark gray stone head of Buddha (25.5 cm high), also dated to the Tang dynasty and with distinct whorls, at Christie’s New York in Fine Chinese Art from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections on 18 March 2009, lot 350, sold for USD 32,500.

唐代大理石佛頭
中國，618-907年。莊嚴、大氣、飽滿的佛陀頭像，面部略顯豐腴，眼睛細長，拱形的眉毛，形成與鼻脊和諧曲線，眉間白毫，以及盤到頭上的高高髮髻，表現出唐代佛像經典風格。

來源：René Vittoz收藏，保存至今。René Vittoz (1904-1992) 瑞士羅曼語學者、法語和藝術史教師。 他撰寫的幾本書，包括 “Essai sur les Conditions de la Poesie Pure”和一部戲劇“L'ivresse de Noé”（諾亞的醉酒）。 他也是一位畫家，同時也是亞洲和歐洲藝術品的熱情收藏家。 在他去世後，他收藏的多件作品在佳士得拍賣。
品相：狀況極佳，與年齡相稱。 廣泛的磨損、缺損、輕微的劃痕和刻痕。背面有兩個圓形凹槽，顯示鐵的殘留物，表明之前的有支架。自然生長的蜜褐色包漿。

重量：6.2 公斤 (含底座)
尺寸：高21 厘米 (不含底座)，總36.5厘米

木底座，金屬支架，應為二十世紀，頭像可以360° 轉動以便觀摩。 (2)

拍賣結果比較: 比較一件相近的但更小 (高12.7 厘米) 的大理石菩薩頭像，唐代，見紐約蘇富比Important Chinese Art 2021年9月21日 lot 109, 售價USD 40,320；比較一件相近的唐代更小 (高11.5 厘米)的石雕深灰色佛頭，有螺紋，見倫敦佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2018年5月15日 lot 158, 售價GBP 18,750；比較一件相近的唐代更小 的深灰色石雕佛頭 (高25.5厘米), 有螺紋，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Art from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections 2009年3月18日 lot 350, 售價USD 32,500。