Page 38 - Maitri CollectionAsian Art Bonhams

3205
A GILT COPPER FIGURE OF MAITREYA
NEPAL, 14TH CENTURY
Himalayan Art Resources item no.61523
12 5/8 in. (32 cm) high

$350,000 - 450,000

尼泊爾 十四世紀 銅鎏金彌勒菩薩立像

The presence of the kundika vase crowning the resplendent lotus flower by his left
shoulder identifies this idealized young prince as the future Buddha Maitreya. His
supple and sinuous body is contrasted with robust arms: the right with an upraised
frontal gesture of explication vitarka mudra, the left pendent, which would have held the
lotus stem. As with a smaller example formerly in the Heeramaneck Collection sold at
Christie’s, 18 September 2013, lot 298, the present Maitreya wears a stylized antelope
skin over the left shoulder, large roundels in the crown, and lozenge armbands.

Although equally vital to popular Buddhist practice, standing Maitreya images are
relatively rare by comparison to more common bronzes of Avalokiteshvara Padmapani.
This most elegant form of a standing bodhisattva maintained its popularity in Nepal until
at least the 16th century, being applied to various deities including Manjushri. Compare,
for instance, a Padmapani within the same publication as the present lot (Cast for
Eternity, p. 125, no. 36), where the attribute within the flower is the only differentiating
element. In writing about the two bodhisattvas for the exhibition catalog, Ian Alsop
explains (ibid, p.124):

“The thirteenth century marks the beginning of the period of the Malla kings who reigned
over the Kathmandu valley until the end of the eighteenth century... The Malla period in
general was a period of overall political stability punctuated by internecine squabbles
between the various principalities of the Nepal Valley. It was a time of considerable
prosperity, nourished by the valley’s fertility and by a lucrative trade with Tibet and India.
It was also a time of great artistic activity, and Newar artists prospered through the
patronage of the devout of the Kathmandu valley, the various noble houses there, and
the wealthy lamas who eagerly sought the renowned Newar artists.”

The Maitri Maitreya exudes all the qualities of the classic early Malla period with its
perfectly balanced tribhanga and long rippling sashes. Its jewelry is detailed with
glistening inset semiprecious stones, and its warm and smooth chocolate brown patina
has been formed over centuries of pious adoration.

Published
Spink & Son Ltd, Octagon, A Quarterly Journal for Discerning Collectors, XIV, 4, Winter
1977, London, p.27.
Jean and Marcel Nies, 10 jaar Galerie De Ruimte. Zomertentoonstelling, Galerie De
Ruimte (brochure), Eersel, 1981, frontcover.
Jean and Marcel Nies, Himalayan Art. Sculptures, Tangkas and Ritual Objects from
Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Western Himalaya, Galerie De Ruimtse, Eersel, 1982, p.4.
Marcel Nies, Spirit of Compassion: Himalayan Images of the Past, Present and Future,
1995, pp.26-7.
Marcel Nies, Buddhists, Hindus and Jains, Marcel Nies Oriental Art, Antwerp, 2003,
pp.34-5.
Jan van Alphen, Cast for Eternity: Bronze Masterworks from India and the Himalayas in
Belgian and Dutch Collections, Antwerp, 2005, p.122, no.35.

Exhibited
Cast for Eternity: Bronze Masterworks from India and the Himalayas in Belgian and Dutch
Collections, Ethnographic Museum, Antwerp, 12 April - 26 June 2005.

Provenance
Spink & Son Ltd, London, 1977
Collection of J. Gelpey, 1977-1979
Galerie De Ruimte, Eersel
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. J. Meijer, Netherlands, 1981-2010
Marcel Nies Oriental Art, Antwerp, 1 December 2010

36 | BONHAMS