拍賣筆記 vol.364 蘇富比香港2026：1920萬港元售出，北魏永平二年鎏金銅刻銘釋迦牟尼佛坐像 - A Large Inscribed Gilt-Bronze Votive Figure Of Shakyamuni Buddha, Northern Wei Dynasty, Dated 2Nd Year Of The Yongping Period

北魏金銅佛像中，如此宏大尺寸（逾三十公分）且帶明確紀年銘文的完整坐像極為罕見。相較隋唐時期金銅佛像的繁盛，北朝金銅造像整體數量稀少，存世精品更屈指可數。它們不僅工藝精湛，更深刻映照出北魏時期佛教中國化、犍陀羅與印度藝術東傳的關鍵轉型階段——那是一個王朝更迭、民族融合、文化激蕩的偉大而特殊的時代。

若此尊造像保存狀態無虞、來源可靠，又是真品的話，其市場價值應輕鬆突破一千萬港元。蘇富比對早期青銅佛像的估價向來保守，2016年坂本五郎專場多件類似拍品最終均以估價十倍以上成交，本次亦值得高度關注。

拍後更新，競爭激烈，1400萬carrie，1450萬dylon，1500萬carrie，6888號牌。1920萬港元售出。

Among Northern Wei gilt-bronze Buddhist figures, examples of such impressive size (over 33 cm) with a clear dated inscription are exceptionally rare. Compared to the more abundant gilt-bronzes of the Sui and Tang dynasties, Northern Dynasties bronze sculptures are far scarcer in both quantity and surviving quality pieces. Beyond their refined casting, these works powerfully reflect a pivotal era of cultural transformation — the sinicization of Buddhism, the eastward transmission of Gandharan and Indian artistic influences during a time of dynastic change, ethnic fusion, and profound intellectual ferment. This was truly a great and extraordinary period in Chinese history. Assuming sound condition and reliable provenance, this figure should comfortably exceed HK$10 million at auction. Sotheby’s has historically been conservative in estimating early Chinese bronze Buddhist sculptures; many pieces in the 2016 Sakamoto Goro sale achieved more than ten times their low estimates. This lot deserves close attention.

北魏永平二年（509年）　

鎏金銅刻銘釋迦牟尼佛坐像　

《永平二年七月一日》款

A rare large inscribed gilt-bronze votive figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Northern Wei dynasty, dated 2nd year of the Yongping period, corresponding to 509

Live auction begins on:

2026 May 5, 02:00 PM HKT

Estimate

800,000 - 1,600,000 HKD

來源

京都私人收藏，1950至60年代

此釋迦牟尼佛坐像鑄造精微，主尊端坐於熾盛火焰形背光正中，周圍淺浮雕三尊禪定小佛。開臉豐潤流暢，袈裟輕垂過膝，衣紋柔美，既具希臘化犍陀羅造像之遺韻，又見印度於北魏金銅造像之影響。

縱覽北魏金銅造像，此尊之圖像特徵與宏碩尺寸實屬罕見。可比金銅釋迦牟尼佛一尊，背光內圈環繞三小佛，書道博物館寶蓄，東京，錄水野清一，《中国の彫刻：石佛．金銅佛》，東京，1960年，圖版107A；該例銘文紀年為太和十三年（公元489年），其整體形制、衣紋處理、脅侍格局、背光細節等皆與本尊相近。

坂本五郎舊藏一例，高20公分，銘文磨泐難辨，載松原三郎，《中国仏教彫刻史研究》，東京，1966年，後售於香港蘇富比2016年10月5日，編號3210。另一金銅例，圖像形制相似，高16公分，銘文紀年為太和二十二年（公元498年），曾展於《六朝時代の金銅仏》，和泉市久保惣記念美術館，大阪，1991年，編號62，後售於紐約佳士得2013年9月19日，編號1460。再比一例，高16.5公分，紀年為太和十六年（公元492年），售於紐約佳士得2017年9月14日，編號805。

仍比一北魏例，金銅造主佛一尊及五智如來，銘文紀年為皇興五年（公元471年），曾展於《中国古代彫刻展》，日本橋高島屋，東京，1959年，編號C.7，後售於紐約蘇富比2011年9月14日，編號315。

inscribed on the plinth with a dedicatory inscription, dated to the second year of the Yongping period (corresponding to 509), first day of the seventh lunar month, wood stand and double Japanese wood box

33.8 cm

Provenance

A Kyoto private collection, 1950s-1960s

Catalogue Note

Cast with remarkable finesse, the Shakyamuni Buddha sits within a powerful flaming mandorla, flanked by three dhyani figures in relief. The fluid modelling of the face and the robes, which fall in soft undulations across the legs, recalls the Hellenistic manner associated with Gandharan sculpture and reflects the Indian influence that remained evident in Northern Wei bronze Buddhist art.

The figure's iconography and large size are rare for Northern Wei gilt-bronze sculptures. A comparable gilt-bronze Shakyamuni Buddha, surrounded by three smaller Buddha figures, in the Shodo Museum, Tokyo, appears in Mizuno Seiichi's Chūgoku no chōkoku: Sekibutsu. Kondōbutsu / Bronze and Stone Sculpture of China: from the Yin to the T'ang Dynasty, Tokyo, 1960, pl. 107A. That example bears an inscription dated to the 13th year of Taihe (AD 489) and shares stylistic similarities with the present figure, including form, drapery treatment, subsidiary figures, and mandorla detailing. 

See also an inscribed figure with the date effaced (20 cm) from the Sakamoto Goro collection, published in Saburo Matsubara, Chugoku Bukkyo chokokushi kenkyu [Chinese Buddhist Sculpture: A Study Based on Bronze and Stone Statues other than Works from Cave Temples], Tokyo, 1966, sold in these rooms, 5th October 2016, lot 3210. Another gilt-bronze example of similar iconography (16 cm) is inscribed to the 22nd year of Taihe (AD 498); it featured in Rikucho Jidai No Kondobutsu [Gilt Bronze Figures from Six Dynasties], Izumishi Kuboso Kinen Museum, Osaka, 1991, no. 62, later sold at Christie’s New York, 19th September 2013, lot 1460. A further related figure (16.5 cm, dated 16th year of Taihe, AD 492) sold at Christie’s New York, 14th September 2017, lot 805.

Compare also a Northern Wei gilt-bronze Buddha with five Wisdom Tathagatas, dated 5th year of Huangxing (AD 471); it appeared in Chugoku Kodai Choukoku Ten [Exhibition of Chinese Ancient Sculpture], Nihonbashi Takashimaya, Tokyo, 1959, no. C.7, and sold at Sotheby’s New York, 14 September 2011, lot 315.