Page 90 - Bonhams Himalayan, Indian Art march 2015

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A blackstone stele of Avalokiteshvara Shadakshari
Bihar, Pala period, 11th/12th century
Seated with Manidharin on the left and Shadakshari on the right, above two devotees kneeling on
the swirling lotus vines, and below the five Dhyani Buddhas; an inscription in Brahmi along the base.
12 in. (30.5 cm) high
$8,000 - 12,000

The superior rendering of the principal figure is comparable to the level of precision that can
be achieved through bronze casting. A foliate gem drapes over the crisp lotus pedestal. His
youthful face is depicted with pronounced cheekbones below slender eyes and undulating
eyebrows. Matched in quality are the series of interwoven locks comprising his tall jatamukata.

When comparing the retinue figures, lotus-stem swirls, and jewelry elements between this
Pala stele and a 12th-century Tibetan thangka of Avalokiteshvara Shadakshari in the Walters
Art Museum, we see the Pala legacy in early Tibetan art. (For the latter, see Jackson, The
Nepalese Legacy in Tibetan Painting, New York, 2010, p. 114, fig. 6.21)

Referenced
HAR – himalayanart.org/image.cfm/41226.html

Provenance
Private Californian Collection since 1967

88 | BONHAMS