A DEHUA FIGURE OF SEATED GUANYIN, HE CHAOZONG IMPRESSED SEAL MARK

拍品描述

A DEHUA FIGURE OF SEATED GUANYIN, HE CHAOZONG IMPRESSED SEAL MARK Modelled in luminous blanc-de-Chine porcelain, this serene figure of Guanyin is seated in contemplative ease upon a pierced rockwork base, the creamy glaze of exceptional softness pooling gently within the folds of the drapery and across the undulating surfaces beneath. The refined modelling and balanced proportions impart a sense of tranquil monumentality, while the restrained palette allows the sculptural form to command attention with quiet authority. The bodhisattva’s face is delicately rendered with downcast almond-shaped eyes, a gently arched brow and softly defined lips poised in meditative repose. Her hair is arranged in an elegant chignon secured with a floral ornament, from which finely striated locks fall to either side of the shoulders. A beaded necklace with lotus pendant rests upon the chest, crisply detailed yet harmoniously integrated into the whole. The voluminous robes cascade in rhythmic folds, alternately clinging and releasing, their fluid lines animated by the subtle translucency of the glaze. Seated with one knee raised and the other leg pendant, Guanyin rests her right hand loosely upon the knee while the left supports a gently curving lotus stem that rises towards the chest, its blossom delicately unfurled. At her side stands a small vase, emblematic of the kundika containing the nectar of compassion. The pierced rockwork plinth, carved with swirling apertures and layered crags, evokes the sacred mountain retreats associated with the bodhisattva’s cult, particularly Mount Putuo, long revered as her earthly abode. Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, occupies a central place in Chinese devotional life, embodying mercy, protection and the promise of salvation. In the Ming dynasty, Dehua kilns in Fujian achieved renown for their refined blanc-de-Chine wares, prized for their purity of glaze and sculptural sensitivity. Figures bearing the impressed seal of He Chaozong are particularly esteemed, reflecting a lineage of master modellers whose works reconcile devotional presence with sculptural sophistication. The present example exemplifies this synthesis, uniting technical assurance with spiritual gravity. An image of profound stillness and devotional resonance, this Dehua Guanyin stands as a consummate expression of early 17th-century porcelain sculpture. Height without stand: 39 cm Height with stand: 44 cm Weight: 3.9 kg Provenance: Property of a Distinguished Hong Kong Collection, formed between the 1980s – 2020’s

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