Page 194 - Bonhams NYC Indian and Himalayan Art March 2019

945
A SILVER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF MANJUSHRI
TIBET, CIRCA 12TH/13TH CENTURY
Himalayan Art Resources item no.68323
5 1/2 in. (14 cm) high
$60,000 - 80,000

西藏 約十二/十三世紀 銅錯銀文殊菩薩像

This handsome portrait of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Perfected Wisdom, has eyes and
an urna of inlaid silver, emphasizing his enlightened mind. With his left hand he raises the
bound pages of the Prajnaparamita Sutra before his chest, and with his right he wields aloft
the wisdom sword, which cuts through ignorance. The mirrored symmetry of the flailing
ends of his scarf adds movement to Manjushri’s heroic pose. His belt is decorated with
lotus flowers, a symbol of Buddhism’s purity and wisdom. Manjushri’s legs are crossed
nimbly in the diamond pose (vajrasana) and his flexed body is supple and youthful.

Manjushri is one of the most important and popularly invoked Bodhissatvas in Mahayana
and Vajarayana Buddhism. As discussed by Debreczeny, the origins of Tibetan astrology
are said to originate from teachings Manjushri gave while dwelling on the five peaks of
China’s sacred mountain Wutaishan.

This bronze’s physiognomy, jewelry, and lotus base are closely informed by the 11th-12th
century Pala art of Northeastern India, known to have formed a basis for early Tibetan
sculpture. A closely related bronze of Manjushri of the same style and period is held in the
Tibet House Museum, New Delhi (HAR 71907).

Published
Karl Debreczeny, “Wutai Shan: Pilgrimage to Five-Peak Mountain”, in Journal of the
International Association of Tibetan Studies, no.6, December 2011, p.86, cat.42.

Exhibited
Wutai Shan: Pilgrimage to Five-Peak Mountain, Rubin Museum of Art, New York, 10 May -
16 October 2007.

Provenance
The Nyingjei Lam Collection
On loan to the Rubin Museum of Art, New York, 2005-2019

192 | BONHAMS