A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE DEPICTING LOKESHVARA Tibeto-Chinese, Pala style, 18th/19th Century

the bodhisattva standing  on a raised double lotus throne, with right hand extended in varada mudra and left hand raised grasping a lotus stem, with tall jatamukata and five-pointed crown, with raised urna and strong aquiline nose, wearing a flayed antelope skin and the bodhisattva jewelry, the short dhoti held by a beaded girdle and incised with foliate patterns with remnants of polychromy 

Collection of Rafaël Verbois (1885—1979).

 

Good overall condition with traces of cold gold at face and neck. Traces of polychrome at hair with copper inlaid dhoti. Wear and accretion consistent with age.
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.

Father Rafaël Verbois, a Belgian missionary, was stationed in Inner Mongolia at the beginning of the 20th Century. In 1910, he visited the mission post of Wangzimiao and began his collection of Tibetan art. He later donated many works from his collection to the ethnographic Museum in Antwerp, which have since been exhibited at museums around the world, including the Rubin Museum of Art ("The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide", October 3, 2014–April 13, 2015).

Himalayan Art Resources item no. 12939