A PAIR OF POLYCHROME WOOD FIGURES OF NIO GUARDIANS, EDO PERIOD, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A PAIR OF POLYCHROME WOOD FIGURES OF NIO GUARDIANS, EDO PERIOD, 17TH-18TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005: “No. 213, NA 2002, Japanese pair of temple guardians 18th c.” Gallery price: EUR 17,000 or approx. EUR 28,400 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing. Japan. Each powerfully carved and decorated with pigment to depict two Nio guardians, each standing in a dynamic pose atop a rock. The faces exhibit a wrathful expression: one figure has its mouth open, both raising one hand and wearing flowing robes encircled by scarves, their intense eyes inlaid with reverse-painted glass. Their hair is finely incised, styled into a high chignon and secured by a headband. (2) Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 104.5 cm and 106 cm Nio or Kongorikishi are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in East Asian Buddhism in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are dharmapala manifestations of the bodhisattva Vajrapani, the oldest and most powerful deity of the Mahayana Buddhist pantheon. According to Japanese tradition, they traveled with Gautama Buddha to protect him. Within the generally pacifist tradition of Buddhism, stories of dharmapalas justified the use of physical force to protect cherished values and beliefs against evil. Nio are also seen as a manifestation of Mahasthamaprapta, the bodhisattva of power that flanks Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism and as Vajrasattva in Tibetan Buddhism. They are usually a pair of figures that stand under a separate temple entrance gate, called Niomon in Japan. Guhyapada (Japanese: Misshaku Kongo) is a symbol of overt violence: he wields a vajra mallet and bares his teeth. His mouth is depicted as being in the shape necessary to form the ‘ha’ or ‘ah’ sound, wherefore he is also known as Agyo in Japan. Narayana (Naraen Kongo) is depicted either bare-handed or wielding a sword. He symbolizes latent strength, holding his mouth tightly shut. His mouth is rendered to form the sound ‘huṃ’, ‘heng’, or ‘un’. He is also referred to as Ungyo in Japanese due to his closed mouth. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams New York, 11 September 2019, lot 856 Mid-Estimate: USD 35,000 or approx. EUR 40,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, polychrome decoration, and subject. Note the similar size of the figures (76.2 cm) as well as the missing base and scarves.

图片