Page 18 - Bonhams March 22 2022 Indian and Himalayan Art NYC

Tara is arguably the most popular Buddhist goddess in the Himalayas. In Tibet, she is
worshipped by followers of every Buddhist sect, with her various forms found in all classes
of Tantra. Her ten-syllable mantra and the short Tantra known as the ‘Twenty-One Praises
of Tara’, spoken by the Buddha Samantabhadra, are memorized and recited by virtually all
Tibetans from childhood. As suggested by Pal, she is equally favored in Nepal:

“Undoubtedly, the most popular Buddhist goddess in the Valley is Tara, the female
counterpart of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Like him she is a savior deity who protects
her devotees from earthly dangers and calamities, such as fires, storms, and attacks from
bandits and predatory animals... The Buddhist Tara was ultimately absorbed by the Hindus
as a deity of transcendental knowledge known collectively as the Dasamahavidya, further
explaining her universal popularity in the valley.”
(Pal, Art of Nepal, 1985, p.32.)
The beautiful goddess sits in an open posture of ‘royal ease’ while tilting her head slightly
with a benevolent gaze and warm smile. Above her countenance rests a crown of inset gems
and rare pearls. While most representations of the goddess depict her right hand in either the
symbolic gesture (mudra) of reassurance (abhaya) or generosity (varada), here she gently
extends a downward facing palm in a gesture of blessing and providing sanctuary. This
special iconography is reserved for depictions of a central shrine image of Tara Who Protects
from the Eight Fears (Ashtamahabhaya Tara). Enlaced within the fingers of her left hand is the
sinuous stem of a blossoming blue lily that is cast with consummate skill. Her superbly
modelled fleshy torso transitions to a lower garment gathered in bold pleats around her
thighs and shins. Her body and hair are embellished through the ritual practice of painting the
skin with cold gold and the hair with ground lapis lazuli, features that indicate the idol’s former
veneration in Tibet. The viewer’s attention will ultimately return to Tara’s compassionate and
captivating face, at once present and transcendent, bridging the human and divine.

Nepalese sculpture has long been hailed for its extraordinary grace and sensitivity, a stylistic
leaning attributable to the Newars, an ethnic group from Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley who have
been transmitting their artistic expertise across generations. Renowned for being among the
most accomplished artisans in Asia, the Newars were highly sought-after for major artistic
projects in Tibet and China during the Early Malla period, a time corresponding with great
political stability and economic prosperity in the Valley. While the Malla period (13th-18th
century) is considered the “Golden Age” of Nepalese art, the Early Malla period (1200-1482)
stands out as its pinnacle. As Pal has summarized:

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