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A SILVER INLAID BRASS FIGURE OF VAJRAPANI
KASHMIR, CIRCA 11TH CENTURY
Himalayan Art Resources item no.61438
7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm) high
$40,000 - 60,000

克什米爾 約十一世紀 銅錯銀金剛手菩薩像

Identified by the eponymous vajra in his right hand, Vajrapani is the Great Bodhisattva of Power,
the primary protector of Buddhism and its followers. In contrast to his ferocious characterization
in later Himalayan art, he is depicted with a benign attitude in early representations such as this.

Vajrapani is often paired with Avalokiteshvara as attendants to either side of a centralized
image of Shakyamuni, the leftward arch of his mandorla intended to balance the overall triad.
Nevertheless, Kashmiri figures of Vajrapani are considerably rarer than those of Avalokiteshvara.

Compare the sculpture’s composition with a closely related six-armed Lokeshvara in Pal, The
Bronzes of Kashmir, New York, 1975, no. 52. Both pieces have broad necklaces, defined
kneecaps, double-striped dhotis, and a rectangular waisted base. Another very closely related
Padmapani Lokeshvara, without the base, was sold at Sotheby’s, New York, 2 June 1992,
lot 90. Also compare similar lions and dancing yaksha in the base with that of a seated
Prajnaparamita in the British Museum (1966.6-16.2; von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes,
Hong Kong, 1981, p.132, no.23A), and another in Zangchuan fojiao zaoxiang-Gugong
bowuyuan cang wenwu zhenpin quanji, Hong Kong, 2008, p. 108, no. 103.

Provenance
Collection of Siddharth K. Bhansali, New Orleans
Acquired in London, c.1988

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