A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF MILAREPAMONGOLIA, ZANABAZAR SCHOOL, 18TH CENTURY
Himalayan Art Resources item no.16710
12.6 cm (5 in.) high 注脚This finely modeled portrait of Milarepa is rendered in the artistic vision of Jebstundampa Khutukhtu Zanabazar (1635—1723), the renowned Mongolian master artist and religious leader. Sculptures in the Zanabazar school are characterized by smooth and soft contours, richly gilded surfaces, and restrained ornamentation. The fine arches of Milarepa's brow and the aquiline treatment of his nose are also hallmarks of the Zanabazar school.
 
While most depict Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, this portrait of Milarepa is an extremely rare subject for the Zanabazar school. Known for his 1,000 songs delivering teachings in catchy melodies, Milarepa can be easily identified by his gesture of raising his right hand to cup his ear while singing. He is also typically depicted with a light, loose-fitting garment to remind viewers of the 'inner heat' Milarepa was able to accumulate from his refined yogic practice. Here, the artist reveals the left side of his torso, accentuating the sensuous tapering of his waist and exaggerating his posture's sway. While meeting the stylistic predilection for smooth, minimal surfaces, the meticulous delineation of each strand of Milarepa's hair descending in luxurious tresses asserts the artist's mastery of fine chased patterns.
 
Regardless that Zanabazar and Milarepa were leaders of competing orders of Tibetan Buddhism, this portrait honors Milarepa as a pivotal figure in Tibetan Buddhist history and culture. A very closely related portrait of Padmasambhava, again from a different order, appears to do the same (Chen, Sattva and Rajas: The Culture and Art of Tibetan Buddhism, Taipei, 2004, p.118, no.070). Meanwhile a portrait of the First Dalai Lama, Dgedun Grupa, belonging to Zanabazar's order, demonstrates the stylistic continuity seen across Zanabazar-school portraits, particularly with the idiomatic treatment of the densely incised stamen within the lotus pedestal (ibid., p.169, no.106).

Provenance
Christie's, New York, 21 March 2001, lot 147
Collection of Drs. Edmund and Julie Lewis, Chicago


銅鎏金密勒日巴像
蒙古，扎納巴扎爾風格，十八世紀
喜馬拉雅藝術資源網16710號
高12.6釐米（5英吋）

500,000-700,000港幣

此尊精美的密勒日巴銅像帶有典型扎納巴扎爾風格。扎納巴扎爾（1635-1723年）被尊為哲布尊丹巴呼圖克圖，為蒙古舉足輕重的藝術家與宗教領袖，其開創的藝術流派以柔順流暢的輪廓、明亮厚重的鎏金以及簡單精煉的裝飾為世人所知。此處密勒日巴之俊美彎眉與鷹鈎高鼻亦為扎納巴扎爾風格特徵。

現存扎納巴爾扎造像多為佛陀與菩薩題材，故此扎納巴爾扎風格之密勒日巴像尤為珍罕。密勒日巴曾作千首詩歌以弘揚佛法，因此其造像往往塑造大師右手環於耳側作歌唱傾聽狀。其典型形象亦包括身著輕薄的寬鬆長衣，令觀者想到其因修煉瑜伽術而自內生熱之故。本尊造像中，密勒日巴左側上身袒露，突出纖細腰部優美明快的曲線與身姿之擺動。儘管遵循輪廓流暢簡潔的風格特徵，一綹綹精緻非凡的濃密黑髮亦彰顯出匠師塑造華麗複雜細節的高超技藝。

扎納巴扎爾與密勒日巴分屬不同的藏傳佛教派別，本尊造像則體現出密勒日巴在整個藏傳佛教歷史與文化中的深遠影響。另參見一尊與本造像風格關聯密切的蓮花生大士像（陳百忠，《寂靜與忿怒——藏傳佛教文化藝術》，台北，2014年，頁118，編號070）。此外，一尊塑造一世達賴根敦珠巴之銅像呈現出扎納巴札爾風格上師像的一致性，特別比照其對寬大蓮瓣及其上緊密排列的花蕊的刻畫（同上，頁169，編號106）。

來源
佳士得，紐約，2001年3月21日，拍品147
Edmund與Julie Lewis醫生珍藏，芝加哥