- 1036
A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF EKADASHAMUKHALOKESHVARA Mongolia, Zanabazar school, 17th/18th Century
Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 USD
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Description
- Bronze
Provenance
Private Swiss collection, before 2000.
Condition
Very good overall condition. Cast in three separate pieces with areas of oxidation and accretion overall, traces of polychrome at hair and lips. Could benefit from a light cleaning. Base plate now missing.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
This is a superb example of the craftsmanship and elegance of pieces from the ateliers founded by Zanabazar (1635—1723), the renowned Mongolian master craftsman, artist and religious leader. Hallmarks of bronzework from the ateliers of Zanabazar include exceptionally fine gilding, the lithe and youthful treatment of the body, distinctive facial characteristics such as high foreheads, finely arched eyebrows and wide-bridged aquiline noses, long beaded necklaces which reach to the navel, and circular multi-layered lotus bases with incised striping.
The current work is one of the few Mongolian Zanabazar-school bronzes to have retained its original prabhamandala; compare with another standing Maitreya with complete prabhamandala in the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, see G. Béguin and D. Dashbaldan, Trésors de Mongolie, Paris, 1993, p. 122, fig. 2.
The current work depicts the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in the ekadashamukha or eleven-headed form. The ten lower heads represent the dasabhumi or ten stages of enlightenment, while the topmost head depicts the Buddha Amitabha. Eight-armed Ekadashamukhalokeshavara holds the two primary hands in anjali mudra clasping a chintamani at the heart center, a kundika in the secondary right hand and the secondary left hand in varada mudra, the tertiary hands both in vajra mudra, a mala in the quaternary right hand and a lotus in the quaternary left hand.
The current work is one of the few Mongolian Zanabazar-school bronzes to have retained its original prabhamandala; compare with another standing Maitreya with complete prabhamandala in the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, see G. Béguin and D. Dashbaldan, Trésors de Mongolie, Paris, 1993, p. 122, fig. 2.
The current work depicts the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in the ekadashamukha or eleven-headed form. The ten lower heads represent the dasabhumi or ten stages of enlightenment, while the topmost head depicts the Buddha Amitabha. Eight-armed Ekadashamukhalokeshavara holds the two primary hands in anjali mudra clasping a chintamani at the heart center, a kundika in the secondary right hand and the secondary left hand in varada mudra, the tertiary hands both in vajra mudra, a mala in the quaternary right hand and a lotus in the quaternary left hand.
Himalayan Art Resources item no. 12936