An exceptionally rare pair of gilt-bronze figures of Virupaksa, Western Guardian and Virudhaka, Southern Guardian


Ming DynastyEach figure finely cast and seated in lalitasana on a double-lotus base, fully armed with chain mail, boots and arm bands, the face with wide open eyes and eyebows in a ferocious expression, flanked by two large earrings and surmounted by an elaborate crown, the hair knotted into high chignon with traces of ultramarine pigment, with a heavenly scarf surrounding the shoulders and billowing to the sides, Virudhaka carrying a sword, Virupaksa holding up a pyramidical stupa in the left hand with a snake winding down the right arm, unsealed base, boxes. Each 25cm (9 7/8in) high. (4).
|明 銅鎏金西方廣目天王及南方增長天王一對Provenance:A Hong Kong private collection, acquired in 1990來源：香港私人舊藏，蒐集於1990年Originating in the Indian version of Lokapalas, the two finely cast figures represent Virupaksa and Virudhaka, who are two of the Four Heavenly Kings, each of whom watches over one cardinal direction of the world as Protectors of the Buddhist Law. Virupaksa is identifed as the King of the West and Virudhaka as the King of the South, also known as Guan Mu Tianwang, the Heavenly King who sees all and the Zeng Zhang Tianwang, the Heavenly King who causes good growth in Chinese mythology.Such figures were originally placed on the four sides of stupas, guarding the Buddhist relics inside. However, in China each is also associated with a specific direction and with the Four Heraldic Animals of Chinese astrology, ensuring favourable weather for crops and peace throughout the land; see P.B.Welch, Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery, Vermont, 2008, p.194. The Hall of the Heavenly Kings is a standard component of Chinese Buddhist temples and such gilt-bronze figures would have been made for worship in temples.The present two gilt-bronze guardian figures modelled seated in lalitasana are extremely rare. Compare with a gilt-bronze seated figure of Vaisravana, the Heavenly King of the North, 15th century, also seated on a rock, illustrated in the exhibition catalogue of The 2nd Beijing International China Cultural Artifacts Exhibition, Beijing, 2010, pp.132-133.The superbly cast elaborate armour which can be seen on the present figures may be associated with a group of gilt-bronze standing guardian figures produced by the Chinese ateliers. See two gilt-bronze guardian figures in standing poses, early Ming dynasty, from the Fuller Memorial collection and now in the Seattle Art Museum, illustrated by H.Munsterberg, in Chinese Buddhist Bronzes, Tokyo, 1967, pls.93 and 94; a further standing example, 15th century, formerly with Eskenazi Ltd., London, is illustrated in zhongguo liushi haiwai fojiao zaoxiang zonghe tumu vol.7, (Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Buddhist Statues in Overseas Collection), Beijing, 2005, no.1438. 四大護法金剛中的兩尊。南方增長天王右手持寶劍，左手高托劍鋒。西方廣目天王右手握鳥頭蛇，左手托佛寶塔。兩護法金剛跏趺坐於雙層蓮花座上。身穿金鎧甲戰袍，腳穿如意飾靴，戴垂珠耳環，頭戴五葉寶冠，飄帶生動。此件西方廣目天王及南方增長天王源自上座部、說一切有部及大眾部中護世四大天王(Lokapalas) ，其形象從印度東傳之後和中土神祇形象相結合，被賦予令他人增長善根和能以清淨天眼觀察護持世界的神力。四大天王又稱四大金剛，常立於浮屠四角，護衛佛骨舍利。然而在中國，四大天王的法力遠不止此，他們亦需守護四方四時，確保風調雨順，相關探討可參見P.B.Welch著，《Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery》，佛蒙特，2008年，頁194。中國寺廟建築中常設有天王殿，其中供奉的便是此類四大天王造像。遊戯坐的天王形象十分少見，可比較一件十五世紀漢地藏傳北方多聞天王坐像，亦游戯坐於石台，見《第二屆北京中國文物藝術品國際博覽會》，2010年，北京，頁132-133。觀此對天王所著鎧甲或為中土風格影像，然其分體鑄造工藝又更靠近因西藏地區佛造像風格，因此或為中原信徒發愿所鑄一組之二。可參考兩件明早期銅鎏金天王像，站姿，所著鎧甲風格和本件頗似，藏於西雅圖藝術博物館之福樂館，見H.Munsterberg著，《Chinese Buddhist Bronzes》，東京，1967年，頁93及94。倫敦埃斯卡納齊蒐儲一件十五世紀立式天王像亦資參考，見《中國流失海外佛教造像綜合圖目：第七卷》，北京，2005年，編號1438。