A large gilt-copper alloy stupa, Tibet, 15th century

A large gilt-copper alloy stupa
Tibet, 15th century
西藏 十五世紀 銅鎏金嵌寶佛塔

Himalayan Art Resources item no. 68461
HAR編號68461

Height 9¼ in., 23.5 cm.

Condition Report:
The tip of the stupa is missing, and there is a loss to one minute downward facing petal at the top, but otherwise it is in good condition. There is a minor dent to the base. Other general surface wears.

Because this lot was imported into the United States after September 1, 2020, it is subject to an import tariff of 7.5% of the value declared upon entry into the United States. $9,375.00, plus applicable sales tax will be included on your invoice unless you instruct Sotheby's to arrange shipping of the lot to a foreign address. For more information on the import tariff, please review the Symbol Key in the back of the catalogue. If you have any questions, please contact tariffs@sothebys.com.

由於本拍品在 2020年9月1日之後進口到美國，所以買家可能需就本拍品支付進口關稅，金額為拍品進口美國當時申報價值的7.5％。除非您要求蘇富比安排運送拍品到美國境外之地址，否則發票上將包括9,375.00美元以及相關的銷售稅。如欲查詢進口關稅的更多信息，請查閱目錄背面的附錄。如有任何疑問，敬請聯繫tariffs@sothebys.com。

Catalogue Note:
The Nyingjei Lam stūpa (T. chörten) is of a type said to correspond to a monument erected at Varanasi, which celebrated the Buddha’s first sermon at the Deer Park. The tiers at the center of this four-sided gilt-copper example contain multiple doorways and are faced with two-storied projecting arches on each side, all supported on a tall tapering platform resting on a lotus petal base. The dome (anda) is decorated with jeweled swags inset with gems. The parapet (harmika) above supports a spire of thirteen discs (chattra) surmounted by a gem-set canopy. The form of the stūpa corresponds to the model known as tashi gomang, ‘auspicious [chörten] with many doors’. According to traditional accounts, all Tibetan chörten are derived from the eight types of Indian stupa built to commemorate the eight great events in the life of the Buddha. The architectural details of the stūpa represent metaphysical principles of the Buddhist faith, symbolizing in particular the Buddha’s enlightened mind.

Perhaps the most famous Tibetan monuments in this complex multi-door format are the Kumbum of Gyantse, built around 1442 and the monument at Riwoche completed in 1456. A similar fifteenth century date may be attributed to this rare gilded copper example from the Nyingjei Lam Collection.

佛塔（藏語稱「曲登」）形制演變自印度墳塚，初為安置佛祖真身舍利而造。印度佛塔原分八類，紀念佛祖生平八大事蹟，據西藏文獻記載，各式曲登無不溯源於此。慈悲道所藏曲登承襲瓦拉納西佛塔制式，稱揚佛祖於鹿野苑初轉法輪。曲登可存放高僧大德真身舍利，且寓佛法於築造細節，尤作三業中「意」之象徵，亦受供奉。

塔基拔地而起，基頂作蓮花座，托三層屋宇次第縮小，呈金字塔狀；各側中央牆體突出，分作兩層，下層設門，通往內室；八扇開口，或窗或門，均佈各側。屋宇之上見穹狀塔身，垂綴瓔珞，鑲嵌珠寶。穹頂圍欄，聳立十三級尖塔，塔頂作華蓋，華蓋頂尖稍有缺損。

曲登建築之遞演仍有待研究，然西藏曲登無論小大，皆數量眾多，是為無疑。遇大曲登，信眾作禮圍繞，更有曲登內設龕堂，塑畫佛菩薩形象。此尊微型曲登或以江孜白居寺十萬佛塔為藍本縮略而來，該十萬佛塔約於1442年落成；此尊曲登與白居寺十萬佛塔同為吉祥多門塔式。