A rare limestone head of Guanyin


12th/13th centuryThe head finely carved in sensuous volumes, the full fleshy face with slightly downcast eyes accentuated by wide arched eyebrows, straight nose, plump pouty lips and subtle double-chin, the forehead with a circular recess to hold the urna, with pendulous ears and neatly-dressed hair drawn up in a high chignon secured by a foliate crown fastened fastened with a ribbon at the back and with a central Buddha Amitabha amidst interlacing floral scrolls, traces of coloured pigments remaining. 43.3cm (17in) high.
|十二/十三世紀 石灰岩觀音頭像Provenance: Count Gregorio Calvi di Bergolo, Rome, prior to 2 October 1947, by reputeMr Moriani, Villa Vitiano, San Polo, Tuscany, Italy, by reputeRaffaello Landini, Villa Vitiano, San Polo, Tuscany, Italy, circa 1950s, and thence by descent來源： 據傳於1947年10月2日前由羅馬Gregorio Calvi di Bergolo伯爵收藏據傳為意大利托斯卡尼Moriani先生舊藏約1950年代為意大利托斯卡尼Raffaello Landini先生收藏，並由後人保存迄今According to the owner, the present lot, amongst other Chinese works of art, was sold to Raffaello Landini in the 1950s as part of Villa Vitiano and its furnishings, which previously belonged to Mr Moriani, who, in turn, had acquired the Chinese art collection from Count Gregorio Calvi di Bergolo in 1947 as part of a Rome apartment and its furnishings.A list of objects acquired from Count Calvi di Bergolo dated 2 October 1947, Rome, notes two Chinese stone heads (nos.4-5).Finely carved in rounded volume, with neatly arranged hair below the elaborate tiara centred with a figure of Amitabha amidst intricate floral scrolls, the present head can be stylistically compared with a grey limestone head of Avalokiteshvara, Song dynasty, illustrated by O.Siren, Chinese Sculpture from the Fifth to the Fourteenth Century, London, 1970, pl.563C.