- 1040
A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF VAJRADHARA TIBET, 15TH/16TH CENTURY |
Estimate
150,000 - 250,000 USD
bidding is closed
Description
- gilt-bronze
- Height: 13 3/8 in. (34 cm)
Himalayan Art Resources item no. 13478.
Provenance
Yan Wing Arts Co., Hong Kong, 1991-1995.
Condition
Good overall condition with traces of cold gilding and polychromy to face, neck and hair. Some bending to crown and finial elements. Accretion and wear to gilding throughout. Lower part of bell in proper right hand now missing. Loss to gilding and 1 in. crack along fabric element at proper right shine. Figure and base separately cast, base 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
The superbly cast sculpture depicts the Dhyani Buddha Vajradhara seated in vajraparyankasana; his hands crossed in front of his chest in vajrahumkaramudra holding a ghanta in the left hand and a vajra in the right, signifying the union of wisdom and compassion. His five-pronged crown represents the five qualities of Buddhahood. His long tresses are arranged in an elegant topknot surmounted by a vajra finial. He is adorned in a rich suite of accoutrements or bodhisattvabharana which are further highlighted by a vibrant inlay of turquoise and lapis lazuli. Vajradhara is revered as the primordial or Adi Buddha. His mantra – aum ah Guru Vajradhara hum! – pays obeisance to the one who embodies the highest level of Enlightenment.
The elongated torso with cinched waist and slender hips on which the dhoti is worn low secured by a jeweled girdle is reminiscent of earlier, Pala prototypes which constituted the primary influence for sculptural styles in Nepal and Tibet. See Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, vol. II, Hong Kong, 2001, pl. 256 A and pl. 256C for fourteenth century sculptures of Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya with similar slender physiognomy.
The elongated torso with cinched waist and slender hips on which the dhoti is worn low secured by a jeweled girdle is reminiscent of earlier, Pala prototypes which constituted the primary influence for sculptural styles in Nepal and Tibet. See Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, vol. II, Hong Kong, 2001, pl. 256 A and pl. 256C for fourteenth century sculptures of Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya with similar slender physiognomy.