Published: Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, pages 446-447, nos. 121D & E (illustrated).

Central Tibet. Finely cast, seated in bhadrasana (‘European pose’) on a stepped rectangular throne with his feet resting on a lotus blossom, the hands in dharmachakramudra holding the stems of lotuses flowering along his upper shoulder supporting a flask and stupa, clad in a richly pleated robe neatly incised with geometric and floral designs. His serene face with sinuously lidded downcast eyes below gently arched brows centered by a raised urna and bow-shaped lips, flanked by long pierced earlobes. The hair arranged in tight curls, the high ushnisha surmounted by a jewel.

Provenance: From the collection of Mr. and Mrs. John Marsing, and thence by descent in the family. John Marsing (1918-1998) was a Danish businessman who, at the age of 20, had established a pharmaceutical company, Marsing & Co. The firm expanded during the mid-20th century and had branches all over Europe, Canada, and Korea. Marsing was very interested in Asian culture and a passionate collector of Asian works of art, particularly from the Himalayas, China, and Korea. He built a substantial collection over decades, buying in Asia and from antique dealers in Denmark as well as auction houses all around Europe.
Condition: Good condition with some wear and casting irregularities, small dents, minor losses, remnants of pigment. The base sealed.

Weight: 987 g
Dimensions: Height 17.5 cm

Maitreya awaits the day when the teachings of the Gautama Buddha, Shakyamuni, are forgotten by earth's inhabitants, at which point he will descend from the Tushita Heaven to become a Buddha. The present lot exudes reassurance through his benevolent facial expression and graceful gesture. It depicts Maitreya in his Buddha form, which is much rarer than the more commonly encountered bodhisattva form.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 23 March 2022, lot 424
Price: USD 44,100 or approx. EUR 40,500 converted at the time of writing
Description: A gilt-bronze figure of Maitreya, Tibet, 17th-18th century
Expert remark: Note the larger size (26.7 cm) and that the bronze depicts Maitreya in his more common bodhisattva form, unlike the present lot.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 16 March 2015, lot 28
Price: USD 35,000 or approx. EUR 40,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt copper alloy figure of Maitreya, Tibet, 16th/17th century
Expert remark: Note the slightly larger size (21.8 cm) and that the bronze depicts Maitreya in his more common bodhisattva form, unlike the present lot.



十七世紀重要銅鎏金彌勒佛坐像
西藏中部。彌勒通體鎏金，雙手當胸結說法印，並持蓮花莖，雙腿垂足而坐，為“善跏趺坐”，跣足踏於覆蓮台上，承坐於高束腰金剛座上；螺發，肉髻高聳，摩尼寶珠頂嚴；面龐飽滿，額際高廣，白毫凸出，雙眼微合，凝視天下，法相端莊；雙耳垂齊，頸部蠶節紋明顯。上身穿坦右肩袈裟，下穿僧裙，衣領暗刻纏枝紋，衣褶自然流暢，原裝全包式封底，封板中心鏨刻十字金剛杵紋。

出版：Ulrich von Schroeder，Indo-Tibetan Bronzes，香港，1981年，第446-447頁，圖 121D & E。

來源：John Marsing私人收藏，在同一家族保存至今。John Marsing (1918-1998) 是一位丹麥商人。二十歲時，他成立了一家製藥公司 Marsing & Co。該公司在二十世紀中葉擴大規模，在歐洲、加拿大和韓國都設有分公司。Marsing 對亞洲文化非常感興趣，並且熱衷於收藏亞洲藝術品，尤其是來自喜馬拉雅山、中國和韓國的藝術品。幾十年來，他的收藏一直在發展，從亞洲、丹麥的古董商以及歐洲各地的拍賣行購買。
品相：狀況良好，有一些磨損和鑄造不規則、小凹痕、輕微缺損、顏料殘留。底座密封。

重量：987 克
尺寸：高17.5 厘米

此拍品通過突出彌勒仁慈的面部表情和優雅的手勢散發出慈悲之心。它以佛陀的形象描繪了彌勒，這比更常見的菩薩形像要罕見得多。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2022年3月23日，lot 424
價格：USD 44,100（相當於今日EUR 40,500）
描述：西藏十七/十八世紀鎏金銅彌勒菩薩坐像
專家評論：請注意尺寸較大(26.7 厘米) and that the bronze depicts Maitreya in his more co毫米on bodhisattva的外形，unlike the present lot.

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約邦瀚斯，2015年3月16日，lot 28
價格：USD 35,000（相當於今日EUR 40,000）
描述：十六至十七世紀西藏銅鎏金彌勒佛像
專家評論：請注意尺寸稍大(21.8 厘米)，它以菩薩的形象描繪了彌勒佛。