Adam's Asian Art - Fine Oriental Ceramics, Sculptures & Art November 3rd 2018

102 Saturday 3 rd November 2018 168 A GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF THE PENSIVE BODHISATTVA, Maitreya, modelled in seated position with one leg folded over his left knee, with his right hand raised to a side cheek, 12cm high € 1,200 - 1,800 Known as ‘National Treasure 83’ and housed in the National Museum of Korea, a gilt bronze sculpture of the Bodhisattva seated with his right leg crossed over his left and his right hand lifted to his face, fingers lightly touching his cheek. The sculpture dates from the late 6th - early 7th century and this present example is a miniature version of the country’s most treasured possession. The pose and gesture of the figure is rep- resentative of a pan-Asian iconography that has come to be defined as the ‘pensive’ pose. It gained popularity in Korea in the sixth and seventh centuries, particularly due to the growing influence of Chinese Buddhist archetypes. Religious iconography and imagery are quite common in the Buddhist tradition. As a polytheistic faith, representations abound for the many gods and goddesses. The Bodhisattva figure is commonly depicted, as unlike the Buddha he has not reached full enlightenment beyond mortal concerns. Instead they remain accessible within the phenomenal world to help guide their followers. The creation of small-scale re- productions of the larger bronze in the Korean National museum, exemplifies this function of the Bodhisattva as the interceptor on the behalf of the faithful. In Korea and Japan, Bodhisattva, are identified as Maitreya, the figure who will become the teaching Buddha in the next era. The importance and divine wisdom of the figure is perfectly captured, even in this miniature rendering, in the immense stillness of the pose. However, the constant engagement with the world is embodied in the slight movement suggested by the fingers touching the cheek, the relationship to the natural world is not severed as it is through this lived experience, for the Buddhist followers, that they will eventually reach the goal of enlightenment. 169 A BRONZE CENSOR, 17/18TH CENTURY, of squat bulbous form, cast with animal masks side han- dles over a short splayed foot, with countersunk seal mark, 25cm across handles € 1,000 - 1,500 170 A PEACHBLOOM GLAZED BEEHIVE WATERPOT, (TAIBO-ZUN), bearing Kangxi mark, of dome shape surmounted by a short waisted neck and narrow everted mouth, the base glazed in white with inscribed six-character mark in underglaze blue, 13.6cm diameter € 600 - 800