Page 39 - Sporer Collection of Himalayan bronzes
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14 PROVENANCE:
A GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF MAHAKALA
TIBET, 15TH/16TH CENTURY The Sporer Collection, New Jersey, acquired in London, 28
August 1970
The robust four armed protector, seated on a square incised base,
wearing an animal skin and holding a kapala and curved knife in his PUBLISHED:
lower hands, adorned in beaded and serpentine jewelry, his wrathful
expression with bared fangs and bulging eyes, centered by a third Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org), item no. 24027
eye, and surmounted by a skull and jewel diadem, with cold gold and
polychromy remaining Mahakala is a protector deity, known as the primary Wisdom Protector of
5ƒ in. (13.5 cm.) high Himalayan and Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a meditational deity. While
he has many different forms, he is typically depicted with a wrathful
$20,000-30,000 appearance, such as in the present work where he appears seated with
four arms, holding tantric implements.
THE SPORER COLLECTION OF HIMALAYAN SCULPTURE 37
