Beschreibung:

A VERY RARE LARGE GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNIMing Dynasty Seated with crossed legs in vajraparyankasana, the right hand held in bhumisparshamudra, the left in dhyanamudra, wearing a pleated robe and sash draped over his shoulders and falling in loose folds over his crossed legs, the gentle face with sensuous lips and finely drawn eyebrows, the eyes downcast in a meditative expression, the long pendulous ears beneath the hair arranged in rows of tight curls covering the domed ushnisha, the interior with yellow textile covered consecration. 38.3cm (15 1/8in) high.Footnotes明 銅鎏金釋迦牟尼像 Provenance: Dr Walter Rieder (1890-1986) Dr Walter Rieder (1890-1986) served in the Swiss East Asia Mission (SOAM) in Qingdao, Shandong Province, between October 1930 and December 1951. The mission specialised in educational, literary and philanthropic work and Dr Rieder was in fact, not a theologian or missionary, but a teacher of mathematics, physics and science to high school students attached to the SOAM. His guiding principles were 'Creating understanding between different cultures' and 'Building bridges between East and West'. While in Qingdao, Dr Rieder collected a wide variety of Chinese art. The objects in the collection thus offer a unique window into the type of antiques that were on the market in Qingdao in the second quarter of the 20th century. As well as demonstrating his passion for Chinese art, his collection also reveals the personal friendships Dr Rieder forged with local artists, some of whom he knew from his teaching activities. Dr Rieder had a scholarly approach to studying his collection. Alongside many of his objects, meticulous notes can sometimes be found detailing his art historical commentaries. The collection was hence Dr Rieder's gateway to the history and culture of China. Objects from the collection were exhibited at the Kunsthaus in Interlaken, Switzerland in 2006 and 2018. 來源：Walter Rieder博士（1890-1986）舊藏 1930年10月至1951年12月間，Walter Rieder博士（1890-1986）於山東青島的瑞士東亞使團 (SOAM) 任職。該組織專注於教育、文學和慈善工作，但Rieder博士並非作為傳教士，而是作為一名教師，教授高中數學、物理及科學科目，並以促進"文化間交流理解"和"搭建東西方文化的橋樑"為己任。在其旅居青島期間，Rieder博士大量收藏了各類中國藝術品。通過本次拍賣所呈現的拍品，我們得以一窺二十世紀後半葉的青島古董市場。 Rieder博士的藏品不僅展示了他對中國藝術的熱情，還反應了其任教期間與當地的文人逸士建立的個人友誼。 Rieder博士還對其藏品進行了學術研究，並對很多物品留下了詳細筆記。也因為此，這些藏品也成為了Rieder博士了解中國歷史和文化的門戶。 本次上拍的拍品曾於2006年與2018年於瑞士因特拉肯的美術館展出。 Conveying a high degree of power and presence, this powerful and large-scale figure of Buddha Shakyamuni is notable for the crisp casting and the meticulous attention to detail which is echoed in the gentle folds of the elegant monastic robes, finely embellished with foliate scrolls and diaper patterns. The iconographic pose in which the Buddha is seated with his right hand in the earth-touching position, recalls a momentous episode from his spiritual journey where he triumphed over Mara, a demon associated with the veils and distractions of mundane existence, just prior to his Enlightenment. Having vowed to remain in meditation until he penetrated the mystery of existence, Shakyamuni was visited by Mara who sought to deflect him from his goal. Aided by spirits who reminded him of the countless compassionate efforts he had made for all sentient beings throughout his numerous animal and human incarnations, Shakyamuni recognised that it was his destiny to be poised on the threshold of Enlightenment. In response to Mara's query therefore, Shakyamuni moved his right hand from the meditation position and touched the ground, stating, 'I call for the Earth to be my witness'. This act of unwavering resolve caused Mara and his army of demons to disperse, leaving Shakyamuni to experience his Great Enlightenment. Compare with a related gilt-bronze figure of Buddha in the Munsterberg collection, Ming dynasty, illustrated by H.Munsterberg, Chinese Buddhist Bronzes, New York, 1988, pls.18a and 18b. See also a related but larger gilt-lacquered bronze figure of Buddha, mid-Ming dynasty, which was sold at Bonhams London, 5 November 2020, lot 198.