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A SILVER FIGURE OF KARTARIDHARA MAHAKALA
TIBET, CIRCA 19TH CENTURY
Himalayan Art Resources item no.61652
8 cm (3 1/4 in.) high
HK$70,000 - 90,000
西藏 約十九世紀 銀質持鉞護法大黑天像
The histories of many Buddhist nations involve the conversion of
local deities into protectors of the dharma (dharmapalas). Vajrayana
Buddhism defines two categories: worldy protectors and otherworldly
defenders. The latter are known as mahakalas, and are thought to be
emanations of buddhas and bodhisattvas, taking various forms. The
present sculpture represents “Knife-holder Mahakala”, or Mahakala
Kartaridhara, and is thought to manifest from Vajradhara. He is cast
with silver, which is often used as an inlay in Tibetan sculpture to
convey a figure’s enlightened consciousness, or a potent symbol of the
dharma, such as a sutra or lotus.
Provenance
Robert Bouatta, London
Bonhams, London, 7 November 2016, lot 437
THE PRESENCER COLLECTION OF BUDDHIST ART | 49
