A MARBLE HEAD OF BUDDHA, TANG DYNASTY China, 618-907. Finely carved, the serene face depicted with a pair of heavy-lidded downcast eyes, an elongated nose flanked by long pendulous ears, and pursed lips forming a subtle smile, all below elegantly arched eyebrows, the hair arranged in dense rows of spiral curls rising to a domed ushnisha. Note the remarkably fine incision work on this piece as well as the subtle, elegant polish - both hallmarks of high Tang marble works.

Provenance: Vallin Gallery, Wilton, Connecticut, USA. Karsten Tietz, acquired from the above during Asia Week New York in 2010. Michael Phillips, acquired from the above in 2016. A copy of the original invoice from Karsten Tietz, dated 23 March 2016, stating a purchase price of USD 15,000 or approximately EUR 18,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing, signed by Karsten Tietz, accompanies this lot. Vallin Galleries, established in 1940, were dealers of fine Asian art. Owned and operated by Peter L. Rosenberg for nearly thirty years until his sudden death in December 2013, the gallery was widely regarded as an outstanding source for the best of Asian art. Karsten Tietz is a Berlin-based expert and dealer of selected masterpieces from Asia. Some of his pieces have been sold to important museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Michael Phillips (born 1943) is an Academy Award-winning film producer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, his parents were Lawrence and Shirley Phillips, noted New York dealers in Asian fine arts, selling to the Met, the LACMA, the Chicago Art Institute, and the British Museum among others. Michael Phillips is a collector of Asian art himself, particularly Indian, Southeast Asian, and Himalayan sculpture. His most important films include The Sting (winning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1973), Taxi Driver (winning the Palme D'Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival), and Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, soil encrustations, few nicks and tiny cracks, shallow surface scratches, some losses, remnants of pigments. Good natural patina overall.

Weight: 1,102 g
Dimensions: Height 12.5 cm (excl. stand), 25.7 cm (incl. stand)

With a modern acrylic stand. (2)

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related marble head of Buddha, dated to the Tang dynasty, 17.8 cm high, in the collection of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, accession number B88.0040.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Remotely related
Auction: Christie's London, 15 May 2018, lot 158
Price: GBP 18,750 or approx. EUR 26,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Small Dark Grey Stone Head of Buddha, Tang Dynasty (618-907)
Expert's remark: Note the similar size (11.5 cm)

13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

唐代漢白玉佛頭
中國，618-907年。佛頭頭上有螺髻，眼睛微閉，彎月眉，面露微笑，表情慈祥安寧，長耳垂。漢白玉整體瑩潤光滑。表面光滑瑩潤，雕工精美，這是唐朝漢白玉造像的特徵。

來源：美國康涅狄格州威爾頓Vallin Gallery藝廊；Karsten Tietz在2010年紐約亞洲藝術周購於上述藝廊；Michael Phillips 2016年購於Karsten Tietz處。隨附Karsten Tietz出具的原始發票副本，時間爲2016年3月23日，價格為 USD 15,000，相當於現在的 EUR 18,200 。Vallin Galleries成立於 1940 年，是亞洲精美藝術品的經銷商，由 Peter L. Rosenberg經營近 30 年，直到 2013年 年 12 月突然去世。該藝廊被認為是亞洲藝術品的最佳藝廊之一。Karsten Tietz是來自柏林的專家和亞洲藝術品的經銷商，他的很多藏品已出售給重要的博物館，包括大都會博物館。Michael Phillips (出生於1943年) 是一位電影製片人，曾獲得奧斯卡獎。他出生在紐約布魯克林，父母是Lawrence 與Shirley Phillips，他們是著名的紐約亞洲美術經銷商，向大都會博物館、洛杉磯美術館、芝加哥藝術學院和大英博物館等機構出售藝術品。Michael Phillips本人是亞洲藝術收藏家，尤其是印度、東南亞和喜馬拉雅地區造像。他最重要的電影包括《騙中騙》（1973 年獲得奧斯卡最佳影片獎）、《出租車司機》（1976 年戛納電影節金棕櫚獎）和史蒂文·斯皮爾伯格的《第三類接觸》。
品相：狀況良好。大面積磨損、風化和侵蝕、土壤結塊、少量刻痕和微小裂縫、表面淺劃痕、顏料殘留。整體良好的自然光澤。

重量：1,102 克
尺寸：高12.5 厘米 (不含底座)，25.7 厘米 (含底座)

現代樹脂支架。

文獻比較：
比較一件非常相近的唐代漢白玉佛頭(高17.8 厘米)，收藏於以色列博物館，編號B88.0040。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：稍微相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2018年5月15日，lot 158
價格：GBP 18,750（相當於今日EUR 26,200）
描述：唐代石雕佛頭像，來源: 歐洲私人珍藏; 於1977年購自法國戛納
專家評論：請注意相似的尺寸 (11.5 厘米)。