AN EXTREMELY LARGE 'GUANYIN AND LUOHAN' BUDDHIST TEMPLE PAINTING, MING DYNASTY OR EARLIER Expert's note: In the early years of the twentieth century, a large cache of scrolls and documents of various kinds and sizes was discovered at the famous Buddhist cave complex at Dunhuang. The present painting is closely related both in style and execution to this group of works, which have lastingly inspired Chinese artists for over 1000 years. Its exceptional size and well-preserved pigments leave no doubt that it was originally housed in a large Buddhist temple, probably for several centuries.

China, 1368-1644 or earlier. Ink and watercolors on silk. Finely painted with Guanyin standing with each foot resting on a lotus blossom, wearing loose-fitting robes and billowing scarves, adorned with floral jewelry, the serene face with heavy-lidded eyes centered by an urna, the hair tied up into a high chignon behind the floral tiara, the lower section with a group of luohan, all within a lush landscape with trees and rockwork.

Provenance: From a Hungarian private collection.
Condition: Very good condition commensurate with size and age. Some wear, soiling, staining, creasing, minuscule losses and tears. The background darkened over time, some touch-ups.

Dimensions: Image size 261 x 136 cm, Size incl. frame 268.5 x 143.5 cm

Framed behind glass. (2)

Literature comparison:
Compare a related silk painting depicting Guanyin of the Water Moon, dated to the Northern Song dynasty, 968, discovered at Dunhuang in the early 20^th century and now in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number F1930.36.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 12 September 2012, lot 2021
Price: USD 122,500 or approx. EUR 154,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Anonymous (17^th/18^th century), Guanyin by a Lotus Pond



明代或更早大型《觀音羅漢》寺廟供畫
中國，1368-1644 年或更早。絹本設色。觀音雙足踩蓮花，身著飄逸長袍，頭戴花飾，面容慈祥安寧，雙目微垂，雙眉之間有白毫，頭髮在腦後盤成高髻。下方有羅漢相迎，周圍山水景觀。

專家注釋：二十世紀初，在敦煌石窟中發現了大量大小不一的經卷和文獻。這幅畫在風格和創作上都與石窟壁畫密切相關，而敦煌壁畫在1000 多年來一直影響著中國藝術家。此畫非凡的尺寸和保存完好的顏料，表明它最初被安置在一座大型寺廟中，可能已經存在了幾個世紀。

來源：匈牙利私人收藏。
品相：狀況極好，有些磨損、污漬、染色、皺褶、輕微的缺損失和撕裂。畫面顔色因爲時間而已變暗，有些修飾。

尺寸：畫面261 x 136 厘米，含框 268.5 x 143.5 厘米

玻璃裝框。

文獻比較：
比較一件相近的北宋968年《水月觀音菩薩》供畫，二十世紀初於敦華被發現，現藏於亞瑟·M·賽克勒美術館的Freer Gallery of Art ，史密森尼學會，編號F1930.36。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約邦瀚斯，2012年9月12日，lot 2021
價格：USD 122,500（相當於今日EUR 154,500）
描述：十七至十八世紀設色絹本觀音大士像