Tibet. Finely cast seated in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus base with beaded upper edge, the right hand held in bhumisparsha mudra and the left in dhyana mudra, dressed in a robe draped loosely over the left shoulder, partially revealing the chest.

Provenance: From a noted Swiss private collection.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and casting irregularities. Some wear to gilt, particularly to the raised parts. The base rim with a small loss and associated old fill, and two minor cracks, one going up from the rim extending to the right leg of the figure, the other ca. 3 cm long, all as visible with no hidden damages whatsoever. Few minuscule areas of malachite encrustation. Details to face neatly picked out with ancient pigments. The base sealed.

Weight: 1,778 g
Dimensions: Height 24 cm

The hems of the garment finely detailed with a beaded border, the serene face rendered with a meditative expression beneath an urna and flanked by long pendulous earlobes pierced with vertical slots, all beneath the domed ushnisha covered with tight curls and surmounted by a jewel, brilliantly gilded throughout.

The iconographic form in which the historical Buddha is seated, with his right hand in the earth-touching position, bhumisparsha mudra, recalls a momentous episode from his spiritual biography in which he triumphs over Mara just prior to his enlightenment. Having vowed to remain in meditation until he penetrated the mystery of existence, Shakyamuni was visited by Mara, a demon associated with the veils and distractions of mundane existence. The Buddha remained unmoved by all the pleasant and unpleasant distractions with which Mara sought to deflect him from his goal.

According to some traditional accounts, Mara’s final assault consisted of an attempt to undermine the bodhisattva’s sense of worthiness by questioning Shakyamuni’s entitlement to seek the lofty goal of spiritual enlightenment and the consequent freedom from rebirth. Aided by spirits who reminded him of the countless compassionate efforts he had made on behalf of sentient beings throughout his numerous animal and human incarnations, Shakyamuni recognized that his destiny was to be poised on the threshold of enlightenment.

In response to Mara’s query, Shakyamuni moved his right hand from the meditation position in his lap and touched the ground stating “the earth is my witness”. This act of unwavering resolve caused Mara and his army of demons and temptresses to disperse, leaving Shakyamuni to experience his great enlightenment. The episode took place at the adamantine throne, vajrasana, beneath the bhodi tree at Bodh Gaya, eastern India, a location said to have been especially empowered to expedite the Buddha’s enlightenment.

Auction result comparison: Compare with a closely related gilt bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, 17.7 cm high, also dated to the 15^th century, at Christie’s New York in Indian and Southeast Asian Art on 19 March 2013, lot 408, sold for USD 81,250. A closely related gilt bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, 28 cm high, also dated to the 15^th century, was sold in these rooms in Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism and Hinduism on 25 April 2020, lot 43, sold for EUR 139,040.

十五世紀鎏金銅釋迦牟尼坐蓮像
西藏。釋迦牟尼佛身著袈裟，左手施禪定印，右手施觸地印，全跏趺坐於仰覆蓮座上。造像頭部肉髻高聳，珠寶頂嚴，額飾白毫，長眉與鼻脊相連，雙目垂視內斂，嘴角微微揚起，面容溫和沈靜。肩胸寬闊，身披偏袒右式迦裟，袈裟拉起一角覆蓋右肩。

來源：瑞士知名私人收藏。
品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損和鑄造瑕疵。鎏金有些磨損，特別是凸起部分。底部邊緣有少量缺損和相關的舊填充物，以及兩個小裂縫，一個從邊緣向上延伸到人物的右腿，另一個約 3厘米長，沒有任何隱藏的損壞。少量地區有綠色鏽斑。底座密封。

重量: 1,778 克
尺寸：高 24 厘米

衣紋薄透貼體，軀體起伏，線條極爲流暢。下承仰覆式蓮花台座，上下層蓮花對立排列，花瓣細長挺拔。

釋迦牟尼右手施觸地印姿勢坐蓮的形式，讓人想起他歷史上的一個重要事件：在他開悟之前，他戰勝了瑪拉。根據一些傳統的說法，瑪拉的最後攻擊，包括試圖通過質疑釋迦牟尼尋求精神啟蒙的崇高目標，以及隨之而來的免於重生的權利，來破壞菩薩的價值感。在神靈的幫助下，他想起了他在無數動物和人類化身中，為眾生所做的無數慈悲努力。

釋迦牟尼佛在證悟時，受魔王波旬干擾，魔王波旬提問：“誰可為你做證你已經開悟？” 釋迦牟尼佛即以右手觸地並說：“大地可以為我作證！” 隨即堅牢地神出現為釋迦牟尼佛證明他已經成就佛道，魔王才退去。

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近鎏金銅釋迦牟尼像，高17.7 厘米，十五世紀，見紐約佳士得Indian and Southeast Asian Art 2013年3月19日 lot 408, 售價USD 81,250。另一件相近的鎏金銅釋迦牟尼像，高28 厘米，十五世紀，在本藝廊Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism and Hinduism 2020年 4月 25日lot 43, 售價EUR 139,040