A very rare and fine gilt-bronze figure of Maitreya


17th/18th centuryExpertly cast standing, the peaceful facial expression set within a high elaborate openwork crown enclosing a stupa at the centre, the top knot hair with adorned with a foliate ornament, cascading over the shoulders, wearing a long flowing robe adorned at the hems with incised foliate scrolls, open to reveal a tied sash over the undergarments below the beaded necklaces, the hands held in abhaya and dhyana mudras, the bejewelled feet protruding below the long robes, raised on an oval double-lotus pedestal between beaded borders, with blue and red pignments on the crown and hair. 32.2cm (12 5/8in) high.
|十七/十八世紀 銅鎏金彌勒菩薩立像Provenance:A French private collection來源：法國私人舊藏This superb casting of Maitreya emphasises the Future Buddha's benign demeanor. Although equally vital to popular Buddhist practice, standing Maitreya images are rarer than similarly presented bronzes of Avalokiteshvara Padmapani. Standing Maitreya images are often almost identical to those of Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, but for the presence of a small stupa at the center of Maitreya's crown, as can be seen on the present figure.The posture of the present lot would appear to be inspired by gilt-bronze figures dating to the early Ming dynasty, such as a related gilt-bronze figure of Amitayus, Yongle mark and period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 June 2015, lot 3009.此尊彌勒菩薩頭戴花葉形寶冠，冠正中飾佛塔。面龐圓腴，雙唇微合，嘴角微上揚，彎眉與鼻脛相連，相容和喣沉靜。雙手抬起，左手施禪定印，右手施護法印，立於雙層蓮座之上。其肩胸寬厚，肢體圓渾，頸掛項鍊，胸前有華美瓔珞，上身著雙領下垂式天衣，內著袈裟束於腹前，衣緣處飾纏枝花卉，衣紋寫實厚重。彌勒菩薩為釋迦穆尼佛的繼承者，在未來婆羅世界降生成佛，有佛教徒救世主的寄託。雖然彌勒菩薩在漢傳佛教中亦尤為推崇，但其立像相比觀世音菩薩則相對少見，而此尊頭冠中的佛塔即表明其身份為彌勒菩薩像。此尊立像，風格上或受到明初宮廷鎏金佛影響，參看香港佳士得曾售出一件明永樂銅鎏金無量壽佛立像，2015年6月3日，拍品編號3009。