Page 73 - Sporer Collection of Himalayan bronzes

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A SILVER- AND GOLD-INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF WHITE TARA
TIBET, 17TH CENTURY

Superbly cast seated in dhyanasana over a double-lotus base
with beaded rim, her right hand held in varadamudra and left
in vitarkamudra holding the stem of a lotus blossoming at her
left shoulder, wearing a diaphanous dhoti with a fuidly incised
foral pattern with gold and silver inlay, the face with a peaceful
expression and three eyes, her hair piled in a high chignon
secured with diadems and laced with jewelry
12¬ in. (32 cm.) high

$300,000-500,000

PROVENANCE:

The Sporer Collection, New Jersey, acquired by 4 March 1973

PUBLISHED:

Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org), item no. 24043

This splendid and regal representation of Tara is an eloquent example
of the Pala revival style. Following the Pala tradition of masterful
non-gilt bronze work, this sculpture retains a rich dark brown patina
overall, a characteristic of Lamaist sculpture from the Qing dynasty.
Her dhoti is incised with a stylized foral pattern inlaid with gold and
silver, a decorative feature commonly found in 16th and 17th century
emulation of the Pala style in Tibetan bronzes. The fared, slender
lotus petals in the base and rounded beading are features seen in
later Tibetan sculpture. As for the treatment of physical form, the
present fgure is reminiscent of slightly earlier bronzes from Western
Tibet, such as the example from the Collection of Dr. S. Sanford and
Mrs. Charlene S. Kornblum (P. Pal, Tibet: Tradition and Change, 1998,
p.133, pl.66), which also has elongated proportions and a close-ftting
dhoti revealing the breasts. The facial features are reminiscent of the
sculptures from the later Pala period, in the late 11th or early 12th
century, known for precise carving and crisper features in oval faces.
White Tara, the female Buddha of longevity, grants merit for a long
life and alleviates the suffering of all sentient beings. In all schools of
Tibetan Buddhism, she is revered second only to Avalokiteshvara.
The open eyes on the palms, sole of feet, and center of the
forehead show the goddess’s active awareness and engagement
with the entirety of the universe. The present fgure, with the
warm patina and shine from the inlay and the cold
gold on the face, exudes the quiet dignity of a
compassionate deity.

THE SPORER COLLECTION OF HIMALAYAN SCULPTURE 71