Page 22 - Christies March 14 2017 Tibetan Bronzes NYC

215
A BRONZE FIGURE OF MILAREPA

TIBET, 17TH CENTURY
6Ω in. (16.5 cm.) high

$8,000-12,000

PROVENANCE

James Coburn Collection, California.
Los Angeles Art market.
Acquired by the current owner from the above in December 2016.

PUBLISHED

Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org), item no.24292

西藏 十七世紀 密勒日巴銅像
藏文款識：向穿棉袍的聖密勒致敬

Milarepa (1040-1123), which translates to Great Cotton Clad One, is highly
revered as one of the greatest yogis in the Buddhist tradition. Profoundly gifted
as a singer and poet, he communicated Buddhism through song and poetry
and is credited with numerous popular Tibetan folk songs. His characteristic
gesture of holding his right hand to his ear may be interpreted as listening
to the “echoes of nature.” The present work depicts a rarer form of the great
adept seated on a high throne with his right hand resting on his knee and
his left holding a skullcup. He is identifable as Milarepa by an inscription
on the verso of the throne which reads Homage to the holy Mila cotton-clad
one! Compare the rounded curls of the hair with that of another bronze fgure
of Milarepa in the collection of Carolyn and Wesley Halpert (HAR item no.
90828). Also note the similarly incised pattern on the throne of the present
work with the incised robes of the Halpert fgure.

215 215 verso detail

216 This beautiful bronze fgure depicts the great ffteenth-sixteenth century
A SILVER- AND COPPER-INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF A LAMA abbot of Lo Manthang in Mustang, Lowo Khenchen Sonam Lhundrub. The
inlaid silver eyes and copper lips enliven the serene expression and the
TIBET, 16TH CENTURY delicately incised details on the hat and robes demonstrate the artist’s careful
8º in. (21 cm.) high attention to detail. An extensive inscription encircles the bottom of the base
and translates to:
$40,000-60,000
To the lord Manjushri, Sonam Lhundrub Legpa’i Jungne Pal Zangpo,
PROVENANCE to your stainless lotus feet,
I Sonam Gyaltsen and all beings bow and go for refuge.
Sidney E. Cohn Collection, by 1976. With great love and compassion accept us.
Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York (PC 76.108), 1976- 2016. Mangalam, may it be auspicious!
Public sale, New York, 23 September 2016.
New York Art Market. Compare with a very similar bronze fgure of Lowo Khenchen Sonam
Acquired by the current owner from the above on 25 Oct 2016. Lhundrub, which sold at Christie’s New York on 13 September 2016 for
$75,000 (lot 218).
PUBLISHED

Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org), item no.24293

西藏 十六世紀 嵌銀和紅銅喇嘛像