|
7. Avalokitèsvara Vietnam, Champa 8th-9th c. bronze, cast in the lost wax method height 27 cm. |
The small image of the seated Buddha set at the base of the high chignon identifies this bronze sculpture as that of the Bodhisattva Avalokitèsvara, the lord of infinite compassion. The presence of this small Buddha indicates that Avalokitèsvara is an emanation of Amithaba, the oldest of the five cosmic Buddhas. After the Bodhisattva’s attainment of enlightenment, he wished to help mankind to the path of Buddha, leading to spiritual perfection. Portrayed with elongated pierced earlobes, alluding to royalty, this fine head of Avalokitèsvara has almond-shaped eyes with distinct pupils, arched eyebrows and a finely delineated nose and mouth. The imposing headdress is composed of thick braids of hair gathered into a high chignon in which a seated meditation image of the cosmic Buddha Amithaba is set. Trivali beauty lines enhance the long neck and an antelope skin is draped over the left shoulder. The first Champa kings appeared on the map of the Indochina peninsula as early as the fourth century. By that time the population built houses of fired brick, and the predominant religion was Shivaism. From the seventh century onwards, the historical records become clearer concerning the account of the Chinese expeditionary force that invaded Champa in 605. It states that the capital of this Hindu kingdom was to the south of ‘the Pass of the Clouds’, on the site of the present-day village of Trà Kiêu. Two Sanskrit inscriptions, one dated 658, discovered in central Vietnam, and the other dated 668, discovered in Cambodia, both mention Champa for the first time. By the middle of the seventh century, Champa had already expanded far to the south, as evidenced by a rock-cut inscription in the region of Nha Trang. For almost 200 years from the eighth century onwards, Champa achieved its maximum geographical extent and Buddhist iconography became increasingly important. This head of Avalokitèsvara has all the distinctive features of the classical Champa style – the tall jatamukuta, large almond shaped eyes with circular pupils, narrow chin, and finely arched eyebrows. The thick-lipped mouth is set in a gentle smile that is typical of a slightly later date. The elongated ears are of a most pronounced shape with open earlobes. The aesthetic qualities of this fine sculpture derive from the harmonious balance of pure volumes, the beautiful contours, the skilfully modelled chignon, and the bronze surface, which is complemented with a fine natural dark greenish patina. The face of the god wears a sensual controlled smile which endows it with an air of dignified liveliness. The open eyes reveal the god’s inner power and confront the spectator with his absolute reality. This early Buddhist sculpture is a rare and fine example of the classical Champa style. Art Loss Register Certificate, Reference S00003592. J. Boisselier, La Statuaire du Champa. Recherches sur les Cultes et l’Iconographie, vol. LIV, Paris, 1963. N . Chutiwongs, The Iconography of Avalokitèsvara in Mainland South East Asia, Leiden, 1984. P. Baptiste and T. Zéphir, Trésors d’art du Vietnam. La sculpture du Champa, v-xv siècles, Paris Musée Guimet, 2006, n°13-n°16. Bronze images of Avalokitèsvara, 8th/9th century, Musée Guimet and Musée d’Histoire du Vietnam. |