painting; 繪畫(Chinese) BM-1919-0101-0.131

Period:Tang dynasty Production date:751-850 (circa)
Materials:silk, 絲綢 (Chinese),
Technique:painted
Subjects:bodhisattva lotus canopy 菩薩 (Chinese) 蓮花 (Chinese) 哺乳動物 (Chinese) 華蓋 (Chinese) elephant
Dimensions:Height: 59.70 centimetres (image) Width: 20 centimetres (image)

Description:
Painting of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra under a canopy, seated on a lotus and riding on back of a six-tusked elephant (refers to Jataka story of Buddha born as six-tusked elephant). Blank cartouche on the right side. Ink and colour on silk.
IMG


Comments:EnglishFrom Whitfield 1982:This painting in subdued colours on brown silk is one of the most beautiful paintings from Dunhuang. Although small in scale and properly belonging to the group of banners to be treated later in this volume, it is shown here because it shows to advantage stylistic features that are common to some of the larger paintings of relatively early date, in this case probably of the late eighth to early ninth century A.D.The subject is one that is frequently depicted in wall paintings at Qianfodong, particularly during and after the period of Tibetan control (A.D.781-847). There seems little doubt that, although the headpiece and other accessories (cf. Pl. 28) for complete banners had already disappeared when the painting was found, this was originally a banner intended to be hung independently, probably with the Bodhisttva Mañjusri, closely associated with Samantabhadra during the Tang dynasty, on a similar banner.The Bodhisattva sits in a relaxed pose on his vehicle, the six-tusked elephant, with hands in vara-mudrā.The elephant, advancing towards the right, turns to look back to the left, while the Bodhisattva faces the spectator squarely. One forefoot of the elephant is raised above its white-petalled lotus blossom. The other feet, each on its own red blossom, are firmly planted. Thus, although the composition is still, there is an implied or expected movement, which helps to give spatial interest to the narrowly vertical composition. This can be contrasted with the strong movement towards the centre seen in paintings such as Pl.23,dated A.D.864,and Vol.2,Pls.13 and 14, where Mañjusrī and Samantabhadra are each accompanied by a large advancing retinue, and where the canopies over each of them are seemingly blown back by the breeze created by their movement.The subtle means by which the artist has given life to the whole composition are of course also present when we look at other details. Samantabhadra’s face is calm, framed by his dark hair of which two locks descend at the temples so that the generous curves of the full cheeks are set off by a gentle concavity at this point. The red lips, faintly outlined in pale ink, are divided by a dark ink line with rounded ends turned gently upwards, giving the effect of a slight smile and strongly contrasting, in its softness and roundness, with the abbreviated technique used for this feature from the end of the ninth century onwards. The shoulders and foreshortened arms are framed by long locks of dark black hair. A long, narrow white riband hangs in a continuous loop from either shoulder and down between the knees, following every curve of the underlying body and garments and so avoiding the stiffer and more symmetrical appearance of such scarves in later figures.Despite the faded colouring of the painting today, enough remains to suggest that it was originally quite sumptuous. The lotus throne on which Samantabhadra sits seems to have had blue petals, and his outer robe is shaded in a purplish red in contrast to the strong bright red of the inner garment. The elephant, white with gentle modelling washes in pinkish flesh colour, has a splendid harness of dark brown leather edged in bright yellow. The painting was originally bordered, as with many of the banners, with dark brown borders down each side and a band of lozenges at the bottom. ChineseFrom Whitfield 1982:這幅繪在淡雅的黃色絹面的畫是敦煌繪畫中最精美的作品之一。盡管尺幅很小，本應把它歸入本卷後的幡畫組裡，之所以刊載於此，是因為它具備一些早期的大型作品的共同特徵，相當于8世紀末至9世紀初的作品。這個題材在敦煌千佛洞壁畫中盛行，特別是在吐蕃占領時期（吐蕃占領年代，781年～847年）及以後。發現該繪畫的時候，盡管作為一個完整的幡所需的幡頭及其他附屬物等（參見圖28）已經遺失。它也許原來就是單獨懸掛的，也有可能是和文殊菩薩的幡配對掛在一起，唐代文殊菩薩與普賢菩薩聯系密切，也經常出現在一個幡上。普賢菩薩悠閑地乘坐在他的坐騎六牙象上，兩手結著與願印。菩薩面向正前方，而大象身向右方，頭向左盼。大象的一只前足從盛開的白蓮上擡起，其餘則各自牢牢地踏在鮮紅的蓮花上。這樣，儘管構圖是靜止的，但此繪畫中隨處可見表现動感的暗示或願望，這使縱長狹窄的畫面结构具有空間感。這可與諸如圖23，年代864年，第2卷圖13、14等圖中，從畫面的兩端向中央強烈運動的表現形式相對比。众多眷屬伴随文殊和普賢行進，他们的行动卷起微風，諸尊頭上的華蓋在風中向後飄揚。我們看一下其他細節，也可以發現畫家在構圖中爲增加生活氣息所採用的精妙手法。例如，普賢菩薩的面部文靜，面部邊緣的黑髮結成小串妝到鬢角處，形成淺凹，使人感覺下邊的臉頰鼓了出來。另外，紅色的唇以薄墨做輪廓線，閉著的唇界線拉著很長的濃墨，線兩頭稍呈圓形往上輕輕翹起，以示微笑。唇兩端的柔和的圓線，到9世紀末以後，逐漸被省略。兩肩以及爲了突出深度而略顯短的手腕背後，黑髮呈蕨爪狀垂下。細長的白色裝飾帶從頸部垂到膝間，隨著身體和衣著的曲線彎曲，沒有陷於後來所見的諸像天衣那樣左右對稱的死板模式。現在雖然有所褪色，但從目前保留的情況可以推測當初它是一件非常華麗的作品。普賢乘坐的蓮花座花瓣原來是用青色賦彩的，菩薩的外衣採用偏紫的紅色來渲染，與內衣明亮的紅色形成強烈對比。大象是白色上加粉紅的膚色，使其顯得溫和，極有肉感。大象帶著黃邊的黑褐色的華麗皮製挽具。此繪畫原與其他幡畫一樣，周圍曾有邊框，現僅兩邊殘存有黑褐色邊框以及底邊的一根菱形帶。