Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 8. (Budapest, 1965)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Felvinczi Takáts, Zoltán: An old Chinese monastic Picture of Manjushri

animal. Mark the white hairiness above the eyes and the lips. Its body is covered by striped brown fur. The traces of its face are something anthropomorphic. Two incisors of the expressive closed mouth are visible. The bushy tale is slightly raised. Remarkable is the length and thinness of the khakkhara in the hands of the attendant. Dale Saunders remarks in his ,,Mudra" (1960, p. 180) :,,During the T'ang dynasty an all-metal four ring shakujo (hsi-chang = khakkhara) was used." The number of the sonorous rings is in this case also four. Metal shaft and four rings are thus pointing indeed to T'ang origin of the picture. The style of dressing has also its importance. Both, the bhikshu and his attendant are clad in yellowish brown robe filled with dense embroidered plant ornaments. The mantle of the bhikshu is covered with lotus flowers and scrolls, that of the attendant youth with orchids. The seam is in both cases green. The reverse of the gear of the bhikshu is white. White is also the mantle of the prostrating devotee; his broad collar is only embroidered, like that of the bhikshu's clothing. All these decorations are pointing to noble descent ; in the case of the principal figure to Manjushri, who is here represented, according to the rule, on the back of his usual vahanam, the lion. Thus the content of the picture, with the representation of Manjushri in guise of Bhikshu reminds us vividly the Manjushri image, with its diagonally lying lion, formerly, according to an old tradition, attributed to Wu Tao-tzu of T'ang. Presently it is not possible to maintain rigidly such a tradition, but it was through centuries vivid and active. Consequently we may allow us to put the conception of this picture in the T'ang period. The archaism of its brushwork does not protest against it. As to the decoration, the dense and yet delicate scrollwork on the garments let us accept a rather Sung workmanship. During my modest observations I had opportunity to take in consideration in appropriate places T'ang conceptions and prescriptions. Nevertheless I could not decide to put the work chronologically in that early age. The handwriting of T'ang painting is too robust for this picture. It is rather a witness of the immense finesse and delicacy of feeling of the following silver age of the Chinese art. Therefore I feel not to be hazardous in recognizing in it Sung workmanship.