ADAM'S Fine Asian Art 25th June 2025

FINE ASIAN ART | 123 366 A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF PADMAPANI 尼泊尔利查维时期或稍晚 9-11世纪铜观音菩萨立像 Nepal, Licchavi Period or Slightly Later, 9th–11th Century in tribhanga pose atop a circular lotus pedestal, the right hand lowered in varadamudra (the gesture of granting boons), and left holding a lotus stem that blossoms fully at the shoulder. Adorned with a dhoti secured by a sash, a sacred thread, and a foliate crown centered by a small image of Amitabha Buddha with traces of original gilding. H.17.1cm Provenance: From a Swiss private collection; acquired in Nepal from a Tibetan family 出处：瑞士私人珍藏，购于尼泊尔藏族家庭 € 15,000 - 16,000 Note Padmapani, meaning “lotus bearer” in Sanskrit, is a term commonly used to refer to Lokeshvara, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in his peaceful form, typically depicted with one face and two arms. While Padmapani is often employed as a synonym for Lokeshvara, it is more accurately understood as an epithet or descriptive label referencing the lotus held in the left hand. Despite its frequent appearance in iconographic and textual contexts, there is no definitive evidence in early Indian Buddhist literature that Padmapani denotes a singular, codified form of Avalokiteshvara recognized uniformly across the Indian Buddhist world. The Licchavi period (circa 4th to 9th century CE) represents a formative era in early Nepalese history, marked by the flourishing of both Hinduism and Buddhism in the Kathmandu Valley. Strongly influ- enced by the post-Gupta sculptural tradition of India, Licchavi-period art is distinguished by its elegant proportions, fluid lines, and serene facial expressions. Bronze and copper alloy figures from this era often depict deities such as Padmapani, Buddha, andHindu gods, rendered in graceful tribhanga poses and richly adorned with jewelry and iconographic detail. The period laid the foundation for the later development of Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhist sculpture, and its works remain highly regarded for their refinement and historical significance. Padmapan（i 意为“持莲者”）是梵文中常用来指代观音菩萨（Avalokiteshvara）的一种名称，尤其是在其宁静形态下，也 称作“洛迦湿伐罗”（Lokeshvara），通常表现为一面二臂之像。尽管“Padmapani”常被视为观音的同义词，但更准确地 说，它是一种修辞性称谓或描述性用语，强调其左手所持的莲花。尽管该词在图像和文献中广泛使用，现有的早期印度 佛教文献尚未提供确凿证据，表明Padmapani Avalokiteshvara 是印度佛教文化圈中被一致接受、明确规范的观音特定 形象。 利查维时期（约公元4至9世纪）是尼泊尔早期历史中最具文化与艺术影响力的时期之一。该王朝统治下的加德满都谷 地成为佛教与印度教并存共荣的重要中心，其艺术风格深受印度后笈多传统影响，展现出柔和优雅的造型特征。此时 期的铜合金造像工艺达到高峰，常见题材包括观音、佛陀与印度教神 祇 ，造像体态自然、面容宁静，常采用三弯式（trib- hanga）姿态，显示出高度的精神性与形式美。利查维时期为尼泊尔后续的帕坦艺术与藏传佛教造像风格奠定了坚实基 础，具有深远的历史意义。