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early Buddhist art

Gianguan auction highlights early Buddhist art Oct. 11  

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
early Buddhist art
Northern Wei Dynasty Buddhist stele. Gianguan Auctions image

NEW YORK – Gianguan will hold an online auction sale on Sunday, Oct. 11, beginning at 10 a.m. EDT. The sale presents top tier Buddhist art in its splendid forms with an outstanding collection of jade, crystal and ceramic devotional statues, reflecting regional and highly personal interpretations of the deities, creating an aesthetic that is both sacred and decorative. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.


The strength of the spiritual philosophy is portrayed in a Northern Wei Dynasty Buddhist stele that is finely carved in high relief (above; est. $20,000-$30,000).

Of exceptional quality is Lot 31, a Northern Wei rare jade carving of Sakyamuni Maitreya (below; est. $15,000-$20,000).

early Buddhist art
Rare jade carving of Sakyamuni Maitreya of Northern Wei. Gianguan Auctions image

Equally sublime is Lot 30, the Northern Wei Dynasty, jade carving of a standing Sakyamuni Maitreya (est. $10,000-$15,000).

The porcelain marquee item, Lot 72, is a magnificent underglazed blue and copper-red gilt decorated nine dragon vase, Meiping from Qianlong’s reign. Among the most difficult of glazes for artisans to conquer was copper red. The superbly potted vase is brilliantly painted in underglaze blue and decorated with nine five-clawed dragons in with copper-red gilt. The dragons are skillfully drawn with a ferocious expression accentuated with piercing eyes, windswept manes and scales meticulously defined. Its recessed base is inscribed with a blue reign mark, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong six-character mark and of the period (est. $80,000-$150,000).

early Buddhist art
Qing underglazed blue and copper-red gilt decorated nine-dragon vase, Meiping. Gianguan Auctions image

Another ceramic highlight is a refined Wucai powder-blue ground vase incised with crane and plum blossoms motifs intricately painted with cranes swooping amid scrolling plum blossoms, all with great precision and fine details. The Qing Dynasty vase bears a Kangxi six-character double circled seal mark and of the period (est. $15,000-$20,000).

early Buddhist art
Qing refined Wucai powder-blue ground vase incised with crane and plum blossoms motifs. Gianguan Auctions image

Jade carvings are well represented in this catalog and are highlighted by Lot 121, a zoomorphic yellow jade mask from the Warring States period, that is expected to sell for $15,000-$30,000.

Gianguan’s October sale will also feature a collection of fine Chinese paintings. Among these scrolls, realism, symbolism and calligraphy depict the epic themes of Chinese life.

early Buddhist art
Liu Jiyou, ‘Panda,’ hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, dated 1977, signed Jiyou, with one artist seal, 26 × 26 in. Gianguan Auctions image

For details contact on Gianguan Auctions at info@gianguanauctions.com or 212-867-7288.

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early Buddhist art