painting; 繪畫(Chinese) BM-1919-0101-0.104

Period:Tang dynasty Production date:851-900 (circa)
Materials:silk, 絲綢 (Chinese),
Technique:painted
Subjects:bodhisattva lotus 菩薩 (Chinese) 蓮花 (Chinese)
Dimensions:Height: 65 centimetres Width: 18 centimetres

Description:
Painting of Avalokiteśvara standing on a lotus, shown from the side. Painted in Indian style, except for certain features of the Bodhisattva’s clothing and the blank cartouche, which suggest a Chinese artist. Ink and colour on silk.
IMG


Comments:English From Whitfield 1982:This painting and Stein painting 113 (Fig. 97) also display strong Indian influence, particularly in the facial features and in the stance of the figures. As Stein wrote of the superior version of this banner, now in New Delhi (Serindia, Pl. LXXⅧ): “whole figure expressive of dignity, scorn, and rapid movement, drapery following sweeping lines of the limbs.” (Ibid., p. 1008.)The face is seen in profile, but the body is in a strong contrapposto, seen in three-quarter view from the back, the hips thrust forward and the shoulders leaning back. Every part of the figure seems to be involved in these rhythms: the left hand is bent back and twisted outwards; the right, which holds a lotus bud, is also twisted as though to support the ornament enclosing the chignon of hair, and even the ear is exaggeratedly bent.Despite the markedly Indian appearance, the execution is probably Chinese. Note in particular the stylized orange and red folds of the skirt, and the scarf, although it was once blue and not white as in Bodhisattvas of Chinese type such as Pl. 56, describes similar twists and turns as it falls to the ground by the lotus pedestal. Finally the cartouche, although blank, is a characteristically Chinese touch. ChineseFrom Whitfield 1982: 此像和Fig.97的菩薩，特別是面貌和身體的姿態，明顯受到印度的影響。新德里國立博物館保存有此種畫像的更好的作品（參照《西域》圖78.Ch.i.002( 原為LXXVIII)）。關於新德里的作品，斯坦因記述“整體威嚴氣派，衣物順著腿的行動表现的褶子，使人感到敏捷的動作。”（《西域》p.1008）。臉是側向，身體卻大大傾斜扭曲，露出脊背，臀部向前突出，肩則後提。身體的所有部分都好像配合著此規律，左手向後擰伸到下方，右手掌上放著蓮蕾，舉在後上方，像是托著束髮的髮飾。另外，耳朵也誇張地折曲。雖然此像具有印度風格，但顯然是在中國製作的作品。特別要注意的是，衣裳上加入橙色和紅色的格式化褶子。天衣是青色的，而不是圖56中國式菩薩所穿的白色天衣，兩位菩薩天衣彎轉扭曲的形式非常接近，且都順著蓮座垂到地面。而空白的長方形題箋，也是中國式的。