明弘治 局部鎏金銅執扇羅漢坐像 《弘[治]丙辰太監姚舉[施]》《右七》款

sturdily cast with his legs crossed, the contemplative face with a furrowed brow below a raised urna, gently pursing his lips framed by a thick curly moustache and beard, flanked by long pendulous pierced earlobes, and wearing a loosely-fitting voluminous sanghati covering his left shoulder, adorned with a patchwork of grids defined by gilt-decorated hems with dragons and florets, over the undergarment gathered around his bare chest, his body unadorned, save for the armband on his sinewy right arm, and the feather fan held in the right hand resting, his left hand slightly clenched, his feet shod in a pair of sandals, seated on a craggy rock covered by animal skin, the tail hanging over the ledge cast with two characters you qi ('the seventh on the right'), partially obscuring a horizontal inscription of nine raised characters on the rock, probably reading Hongzhi bingchen taijian Yao Ju shi ('bestowed by eunuch Yao Ju in the bingchen year of the Hongzhi period', corresponding to 1496)

《A&J Speelman Chinese Sculpture and Works of Art》，倫敦，2002年，編號11

There are some typical casting flaws, including an approx. 8 cm fine crack happened during casting to the reverse of the stand and a shorter one to the tail. The corner of the footrest on the left of the figure has been dented. There are also other smaller dents, expected wear and scratches, especial to the extremities.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

此羅漢背面所見「右七」二字，表明曾屬一組尊奉於寺廟或私家聖祠之神明，據座背銘文，可知本像由太監姚舉供養，其作工精良，實為重要。姚氏或曾為其桑梓廟宇出資鑄造此一組羅漢銅像。因閹官無後，此舉可保其身後為人銘記，寄求輪迴寬恕，並為其生時平添聲望。太監亦資鑄特定宗教造像，以博皇廷賞識，一件明代鐵羅漢像，陽文鑄「大明弘治丁巳年造，太監姚舉施」，即1497年，藏於北京故宮博物院，可資參考。

本像，面廓蓄髯，前額突顯，鼻隆眉濃，眉間有白毫，淋漓傳神，面相實非漢地風格，而應源自異域佛教。此羅漢右手持拂扇，左手屈指，仰掌安膝上。可辨其為十六羅漢之第九，戍博迦尊者，亦名「鍋巴嘎」，其形象可溯考畫僧貫休（832-912）之羅漢圖，諸羅漢像後於1764年被臨摹石刻於西湖孤山聖因寺妙相佛塔之上，後經石刻所成拓本，今人皆知。一幅戍博迦尊者拓片，藏於哈佛大學美術圖書館，圖檔編號 olvwork348709，藏品編號 10096888。基於諸拓本所繪相同羅漢畫作，另見 Harriet E. Huntington，〈The Sixteen Buddhist Arhats〉，《Arts of Asia》，1977年3-4月，頁69。

羅漢，為佛陀得道弟子，皆了脫生死，證入涅盤。於壽命未盡前，仍住世間，梵行少欲，戒德清淨，隨緣教化度眾。羅漢藉由教化眾生得道，而非依靠自身冥想頓悟，遂其果位僅低於佛與菩薩，列第三等。據佛家經典，佛陀由羅漢隨同，其數或五十，或五百，或倍於此，然多為概指，暗喻人數眾多，於中國藝術之中，約定俗成以用。羅漢形象，始現於六世紀初之龍門，洛陽附近一處佛教石窟，窟中描繪眾羅漢聆聽佛陀教誨之場景。至唐代（618-907），羅漢多單獨呈現，如見《The Buddha in the Dragon Gate》，安特衛普，2001年，編號48。十六羅漢初見於八世紀，被認為是佛祖最初之追隨者。入宋，其位數增至十八。可比一組明代十六羅漢造像，刻畫鮮明生動，藏山西平遙雙林寺，錄於《山西佛教彩塑》，北京，1991年，圖193-226。