Page 9 - Indian and Himalayan Art Mar 21, 2018 NYC

THE PROPERTY OF A DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN
302
A GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF
BUDDHA VAJRASANA
TIBET, 15TH/16TH CENTURY
9¿ in. (23.2 cm.) high
$20,000-30,000
PROVENANCE
Christie’s New York, 27 March 2003, lot 103.
LITERATURE
Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org),
item no. 24388
This elegant fgure of Buddha Vajrasana, known in
Tibetan as thub pa rdo rje gdan, is cast in the traditional
posture of meditation. Seated atop a double-
lotus base, he displays the bhumisparshamudra,
or earth-touching gesture, calling witness to his
enlightenment. A small vajra sits atop his lotus
throne, identifying him as a particular form of
Shakyamuni, the sage of the diamond throne. His
expression is particularly serene, each detail of his
face rendered with precision and care. The folds of
his robe drape naturally around his lithe body, the
hems delicately incised with auspicious symbols
of Tibetan Buddhism. The balanced proportions,
refned casting, and lustrous gold patina make
this bronze an outstanding example of the master
craftsmanship of the Tibetan renaissance. A copper
plate marked with two vajra is evidence of this
sculpture’s formal consecration and seems to be the
original seal. Compare with a ffteenth century image
of Shakyamuni at the Rubin Museum of Art (RMA
acc. # C2006.66.656; HAR 700092).
西藏 十五/十六世紀 鎏金銅釋迦牟尼像

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