Page 66 - Bonhams NYC Portraits of the Masters Bronzes march 2017

3254 The great Indian mahasiddha of the Chakrasamvara lineage,
A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF GHANTAPADA Ghantapada was a 9th-century master at Nalanda’s monastic academy.
TIBET, 15TH CENTURY According to his hgiography, he copulated with a maiden from
Inscription translated, ‘Ghantapada’. Pataliputra who was sent by the evil king, Devapala, to corrupt him. This
Himalayan Art Resources item no.2274 ill-fated union resulted in the birth of a child, and in their attempt to flee,
10 in. (25.5 cm) high the family was challenged by king. This prompted Ghantapada to cast
US$120,000 - 160,000 both his child and a large vessel of liquor to the ground, causing the
西藏 十五世紀 銅鎏金剛塔帕達像 earth goddess to create a deluge, subduing Devapala.

64 | BONHAMS Images of Ghantapada typically relate to this episode of his life, such as
a sculpture where he is paired with his consort in the Victoria and Albert
Museum, in Lowry, Tibetan Art, 1973, p.33, pl.11. The present work
depicts him in a rare form with trappings of his ritual practice: a vajra-
crown, straps crossing his torso, and a vajra and ghanta in his hands.

Published
Portraits of the Masters, pp.224-7, no.54.

Published & Exhibited
Monasterios y Lamas del Tibet, p.193, no.147.