Lot 77
East Asia, China, Song Dynasty, ca. 960 to 1270 CE. A sensitively hand-carved stone Buddha head, a piece from a larger sculpture that perhaps resided in a shrine or temple. The visage is serene, the eyes cast downwards nearly closed, and the fleshy lips with slightly upturned edges. The coiffure is arranged in dozens of nodules, each craved with four lines to add swirling texture and indicate the upwards path towards the sun. His long ears droop downwards, having previously been stretched by heavy earrings and indicating his divinity and enlightenment. Size: 10" W x 16.7" H (25.4 cm x 42.4 cm); 22.8" H (57.9 cm) on included custom stand.
Social life during the Song period was vibrant. Citizens gathered to view and trade precious artwork, the populace intermingled at public festivals and private clubs, and cities had lively entertainment quarters. The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the rapid expansion of woodblock printing and the 11th-century invention of movable-type printing. Technology, science, philosophy, mathematics, and engineering flourished over the course of the Song. Philosophers such as Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi reinvigorated Confucianism with new commentary, infused with Buddhist ideals, and emphasized a new organization of classic texts that brought out the core doctrine of Neo-Confucianism. Although the institution of the civil service examinations had existed since the Sui dynasty, it became much more prominent in the Song period. The officials who gained power by succeeding in the exams became a leading factor in the shift from a military-aristocratic elite to a bureaucratic elite. During the Song Dynasty, China expanded its trade along the Silk Road and South and Central Asian Buddhist proselytizers brought many sculptures and paintings of the Buddha into the country.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, 1995 to 2010; ex-M. Kobiashi collection, Hawaii, USA, acquired from 1960 to 2000
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#172828
- Condition: Fragment of a larger piece. Restoration to right eye and brow. Minor losses to ears and light surface wear with areas of resurfacing, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining detail. Removable from modern stand.
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