Page 34 - Bonhams Image of Devotion Hong Kong December 2, 2021

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A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SHADAKSHARI LOKESHVARA
YUAN DYNASTY, EARLY 14TH CENTURY
Himalayan Art Resources item no.4506
12.7 cm (5 in.) high

HKD300,000 - 500,000

元 十四世紀初 銅鎏金四臂觀音像

Shadakshari Lokeshvara is a four-armed manifestation of the bodhisattva
Avalokiteshvara, personifying the well-known Buddhist mantra ‘om mani padme
hum’ (‘homage to the Jewel-Lotus One’). This small, sweet figure represents the
deity with a joyful facial expression and abundant ornamentation. The bodhisattva
holds his primary hands in anjali mudra, blessing the viewer. His raised secondary
hands wield a mala and a lotus. His elaborate belt is particularly beautiful at the
back, with a symmetrical array of beaded tassels, each with a prominent jewel
finial.

Many stylistic elements are consistent with Chinese bronzes produced during
the Yuan dynasty, which drew inspiration from Nepalese and Tibetan sculptural
traditions. The broad lotus petals with double-incised edges are closely related to
a Yuan bronze Maitreya published in Bigler, Art and Faith at the Crossroads, 2013,
pp.46-7, no.15. The figure’s slender physique is also congruent with an early 14th-
century bronze Manjushri seen in Bigler, Before Yongle, 2015, pp.108-9, no.25.
Also compare the crown leaves, belt, and lotus petals to a gilt-bronze Green Tara
published in ibid., pp.84-7, no.19.

Provenance
Private Swiss Collection

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