A SANDSTONE 'BUDDHIST TRIAD' STELE, TANG DYNASTY, DATED 717 China. Well carved in deep relief, the arched niche centered by a figure of Buddha standing on a double lotus dais with his right hand raised in abhaya mudra and his left lowered in varada mudra, wearing loose-fitting robes cascading in voluminous folds, his serene face with heavy-lidded eyes, plump cheeks, and full lips, the hair surmounted by an ushnisha, backed by a neatly incised halo. Flanked by two similarly carved bodhisattvas with their hair pulled up into high chignons, all above a rectangular panel with a neatly incised inscription.

Inscriptions: Below the figures, 'On the eighth day of the third month of the fifth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang dynasty, Jia had this stele made for his parents'.

Provenance: From the collection of the late Michael Sherrard CBE, QC, acquired before 2000 and thence by descent. The back with an old label, '717 AD'. Michael Sherrard (1928-2012) was an English barrister in fraud and company law who was considered one of the great recent influences on the legal profession. He was involved in numerous high-profile cases in both English and East Asian courts, particularly Hong Kong and Singapore. Together with Linda Goldman, he wrote a memoir titled “Wigs and Wherefores: A Biography of Michael Sherrard QC”. Sherrard was an enthusiastic collector of Chinese art, especially jade carvings.
Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, shallow surface scratches, signs of weathering and erosion. Small losses, nicks and cracks, some encrustations.

Weight: 3,357 g
Dimensions: Height 23.3 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare the stone stele of this shape that is similarly carved in high relief with a seated figure of Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas standing on waisted lotus plinths, that bears a dedicatory inscription dated to the second year of Jingyun (AD 711), illustrated by Li JIngjie in Shifo Xuancui (Essence of Buddhistic Statues), Beijing, 1995, p. 73, no. 53. The inscription states that the stele was donated by Lu Zhaoshun.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 15 September 2017, lot 918
Price: USD 11,250 or approx. EUR 13,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A grey limestone Buddhist stele, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form of the arched niche, deep relief carving of the figures, and inscription with dating below the figures. Note the larger size (34.6 cm) and the more advanced weathering and erosion of the stone.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 1 April 2019, lot 3015
Estimate: HKD 500,000 or approx. EUR 65,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare limestone 'Buddhist triad' stele, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related form of the arched niche and deep relief carving of the figures. Note the similar size (26.4 cm).



唐代砂岩三聖造像碑，717年
中國。此尊龕式造像碑，裝飾精美。高浮雕佛陀立蓮像，右手施無畏印，左手與願印，身穿寬鬆袈裟，面容安詳。雙眼微垂，面容豐滿，頭上結螺髻，後有光背。兩側是菩薩，同樣高髻。

款識：大唐開元五年三月八日賈氏爲父母敬造

來源：Michael Sherrard CBE，QC 收藏，於 2000 年之前購買，保存至今。Michael Sherrard (1928-2012年) 是一名英國大律師，被認為是近期對法律界產生重大影響的人物之一。他在英國和東亞法院，尤其是香港和新加坡，參與了多起著名案件。 他與Linda Goldman一起寫了一本回憶錄，題為《Wigs and Wherefores: A Biography of Michael Sherrard QC》。Sherrard 是一位熱心的中國藝術品收藏家，尤其喜愛玉雕。
品相：品相極佳，與年代相符。大面積磨損、表面淺劃痕、風化和侵蝕跡象。小缺損，刻痕和裂縫，一些結殼。

重量：3,357 克
尺寸：高23.3 厘米

文獻比較：
比較一尊高浮雕坐佛像，兩邊是站在腰部蓮花座上的兩位菩薩，有景雲二年（西元711年）的銘文，見李靜杰编著，《石佛選粹》，北京，1995年，頁73，編號53。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2017年9月15日，lot 918
價格：USD 11,250（相當於今日EUR 13,500）
描述：唐代石灰石三聖造像碑
專家評論：比較非常相近的拱形壁龕的形式，人物的深浮雕，以及石碑下方的銘文和年代。請注意尺寸較大 (34.6 厘米) ，進一步的風化侵蝕石頭。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2019年4月1日，lot 3015
估價：HKD 500,000（相當於今日EUR 65,500）
描述：唐代石灰石三聖造像碑
專家評論：比較相近的拱形壁龕的形式，人物的深浮雕。請注意相似的尺寸(26.4 厘米)。