Page 203 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Tantra Buddhost Art

This outstanding large and richly gilded sculpture is a rare 此尊金剛薩埵，採早期形像，尺寸碩大，鎏金厚重，細節自
early image of Vajrasattva of majestic size and naturalistic 然，結合帕拉式風格元素及西藏雕塑傳統，極為罕見，誠為
detail of the highest quality. The bodhisattva is depicted 珍品。菩薩坐姿莊嚴，頂冠華美，上飾阿閦佛像，手持金剛
standing tall in a regal poise, adorned in an elaborate crown 橛與金剛鈴。華麗頂冠及珠寶華帶，更顯面相雍容。
enclosing an image of Akshobhya, and holding a vajra and
ghanta. The aristocratic features of his countenance are 風格、造型及尺寸與此接近者有二，其一為大英博物館藏金
enhanced by the opulent crown, jewellery and ribbons. 剛薩埵像，其二乃克里夫蘭美術館藏彌勒菩薩像，圖均載於
Displaying tremendous power and presence, this figure Pratapaditya Pal，《The Arts of Nepal》，萊頓，1974年，
demonstrates the marriage of Pala stylistic elements and the 圖版213及214，作者於頁214-215指，兩尊銅像造工圓潤流
Tibetan sculptural tradition. 暢，極盡優雅。如此描述，亦適用於此尊。三尊銅像，同樣
姿態雄渾，曲線流麗，瓔珞衣飾風格相近，華帶花紋更是細
Vajrasattva is associated with the sambhogakaya and is 膩精巧。
invoked as a support for purification practices to dispel
obstacles in tantric practice. The bodhisattva is depicted here 還可參考一尺寸較大之金剛薩埵像，為 Speelman 典藏，
standing holding a vajra in his right hand and a ghanta in his 定為十一至十二世紀西藏中或西部之作，圖載於 Marylin M.
left. The elaborate crown with beaded border is surmounted Rhie 及 Robert A.F. Thurman，《Wisdom and Compassion:
by a superbly rendered five-pointed crown. The broad, The Sacred Art of Tibet》，倫敦，1996年，頁464，圖版
square forehead is offset by the gentle curves of the face. The 219。
hair, piled high atop the head, cascades over the powerfully
moulded shoulders.

The current figure is one of a group of three which are very
closely matched in style, iconography and size. The first, in the
British Museum, is another image of Vajrasattva, the second,
in the Cleveland Museum of Art, is an image of Maitreya, both
illustrated in Pratapaditya Pal, The Arts of Nepal, Leiden, 1974,
pls 213 and 214, and discussed by Pal, pp. 214-215, where he
notes the ‘smooth fluidity that makes the figures exceptionally
graceful’, a description which applies equally to the current
sculpture. All three share the same combination of powerful
standing posture and graceful curving form, and similar design
motifs including the jewellery and other adornments and the
intricate floral designs on the dhoti.

See also similar iconography on a larger figure of Vajrasattva,
from the collection of A. and J. Speelman assigned to Central
or Western Tibet, eleventh to twelfth century, illustrated in
Marylin M. Rhie, and Robert A. F. Thurman, Wisdom and
Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet, London, 1996, p. 464,
pl. 219. A possible origin of the unusual three-leaf crown
type can be seen on an eleventh century Nepalese figure of
Padmapani in the Cincinnati Art Museum, illustrated by Ulrich
von Schroder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p. 329,
pl. 86E.

THE HEART OF TANTRA – BUDDHIST ART INCLUDING PROPERTY FROM THE NYINGJEI LAM COLLECTION 201