A RARE INSCRIBED GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESVARA Sui Dynasty (4)PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 紳士藏品A RARE INSCRIBED GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESVARASui DynastyThe slender bodhisattva shown seated with both legs pendent and resting on a waisted lotus pedestal further raised on a faceted lotus throne centred by a cintamani, with a pearl held in the right hand, the left hand resting atop the knee in varada mudra, the face cast with a pensive expression below the high chignon secured with a foliate crown below a seated image of Amitabha Buddha, the head framed by an openwork mandorla with flame border attached to a tab projecting from the back of the head, the base inscribed with a fifteen-character inscription, stand and box. 17cm (6 3/4in) high. (4).隋 銅鎏金觀音坐像Provenance:Acquired in Asia, 1968 (by repute)Christie's New York, 26 March 2010, lot 1299A distinguished Asian private collection來源：1968年購於亞洲（傳）紐約佳士得，2010年3月26日，拍品編號1299亞洲顯赫私人收藏The inscription may be translated, 'Disciple Ruen Ci respectfully made a sculpture of Guanyin (Guan Shi Yin) as an offering to the altar for eternal life'. The present rare and exceptionally elegant figure encapsulates the classic Avalokitesvara image in the Sui dynasty including the sense of aristocratic countenance and serene meditative expression, with the slender yet fleshy face, long narrow eyes, sharply curved arched brows which form a harmonious line with the ridge of the nose, as well as the high chignon, gently swaying elongated columnar bodies that are adorned in elaborate robes and jewellery. See a closely related bronze figure of Maitreya of comparable size (16.5cm high), dated also to the Sui dynasty, in the Langen Collection, illustrated by U. Wiesner in Buddhisten Jainas Hindus, Köln, 2005, no.43. While the present figure is more elaborate in its decoration, the two share in common a very similar necklace, from which hangs a single jewel at the center of the chest, and long, jewelled sashes draping down the body and over the knees. See a comparable example but of a large size (30.5cm high) Sui dynasty standing gilt-bronze figure of Avalokitesvara in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art collection, illustrated in Chinese Art in Overseas Collections. Buddhist Sculpture, vol.II, Taipei, 1990, p.74, pl.69.Of particular note are the similar florets which adorned the jewelled sashes on the present figure with the style developed from the Northern Qi and Northern Zhou period, see a Sui dynasty standing gilt-bronze figure of Avalokitesvara in the Guimet Museum collection, illustrated in Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Buddhist Statues in Overseas Collection, vol.4, Beijing, 2005, p.846. The elaborate details on the mandorla of the present lot with layers of lotus petals, openwork radiant beams connecting to the outer rim of flaming design are similar to a Sui dynasty Avalokitesvara (43.8cm high) holding a willow branch in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, illustrated in ibid., p.782. It is extremely rare to see an Avalokitesvara with his right hand holding a pearl and his left in varada mudra in Sui dynasty imageries, compare with a Tang dynasty gilt-bronze seated figure of Ksitigarbha in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, illustrated in ibid., vol.5, p.966.青銅質，觀音頭戴寶珠髮飾，頂上出化佛，胸戴瓔珞，身披薄衫繫於胸前，前膝亦纏繞瓔珞，右手持寶珠，左手結與願印，雙腳息於蓮台，蓮台前面置香盒爐，背光鏤空寶輪形，邊緣飾火焰，通體鎏金，間有剝落，底座後部陰刻：弟子閏慈造觀世音佛一軀永遠供養。德國蘭根基金會藏一件隋代銅鎏金彌勒菩薩像，其姿勢，裝飾與尺寸（高16.5cm）與本件頗似，而本件鑄造更為精細，見U. Wiesner著，《Buddhisten Jainas Hindus》，科隆，2005年，編號43。納爾遜—艾金斯藝術博物館藏一件隋代銅鎏金菩薩立像，其裝飾風格亦可比較之，見國立故宮博物院編，《海外遺珍：佛像》，台北，1990，卷2，頁74，編號69。本件觀音所飾瓔珞及衣衫所結飄帶承襲自北齊至北周造像，而同時期隋代石雕造像之菩薩裝飾亦頗類同，比較法國巴黎吉美美術館藏一件隋代菩薩立像，其首飾及衣著與本件如出一轍，見孫迪編，《中國流失海外佛造像總和圖目》，北京，2005年，卷4，頁846。其火焰鏤空法輪狀背光可比較美國大都會博物館藏一件隋代楊柳枝觀音菩薩立像之背光，見前書，頁782。右手持珠左手與願印之觀音菩薩像在隋唐時期並不多見，可比較一件唐代銅鎏金地藏菩薩半跏坐像，亦作此式，藏於美國波士頓美術館，見前書，卷5，頁966。