Page 88 - Sporer Collection of Himalayan bronzes

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A SILVER- AND GOLD-INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF MANJUSHRI
TIBET, 18TH CENTURY
Seated with ankles crossed atop a double lotus base with beaded
rims, his hands in dharmachakramudra wearing a striped sash, and
dhoti secured with a belt, all three inlaid with silver and gold, a
beaded sacred thread draped over his shoulder, his serene expression Deposits: Historical Relics of Tibet, China, 2000, p.23, fg.23). Based on these
accentuated with cold gilding and polychromy, surmounted by an
elaborately tiered chignon
5¬ in. (14.5 cm.) high
$30,000-50,000
PROVENANCE:
The Sporer Collection, New Jersey, acquired between 1962 and 1985
PUBLISHED:
Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org), item no. 24053
86 THE SPORER COLLECTION OF HIMALAYAN SCULPTURE
Compare with another sculpture of Avalokiteshvara, which displays nearly
identical modeling and exquisitely rendered detail. Notice the striking similarity
of the proportions, the sensitively modeled feet and hands, the fne silver and
gold inlay in the garments and belts, and the treatment of the jeweled tiara
which lays fat against the elaborately braided chignon. Even the manner in
which the lotus blossoms curl towards the face and the precise modeling of
the gently protruding lotus petals, is nearly identical. (see: Y. Jia, et al., Precious
similarities, it is highly plausible that these two works come from the same set.
For further comparison, see two earlier works; the frst, a 12th century seated
Vajrapani from Southern Tibet (P. Pal, Tibet: Tradition and Change, 1997,
p.101, pl.50). The second, a bodhisattva at the Newark Museum of Art (V.
Reynolds, From the Sacred Realm: Treasures of Tibetan Art from the Newark
Museum, 1999, p.224, pl.128).
All four works demonstrate the use of an alloy with a high copper content,
which produces a rich reddish patina, as well as exquisite silver and gold inlay
in the garments and jewelry. While the dating differs, one can see the Pala
aesthetic in each of the four sculpture. Most notably, the beautifully modeled
double-lotus base and the lithe elegant quality of the fgures, whose hands
and feet have been rendered with particular sensitivity. The piled, coiled locks
of hair are also unmistakably Pala in style, demonstrating the reverence of later
artists for this early sculptural tradition.