Page 84 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Tantra Buddhost Art

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A BRONZE FIGURE OF A 十四至十五世紀
KARMAPA LAMA 西藏銅噶瑪巴喇嘛坐像
TIBET, 14TH – 15TH CENTURY
喜瑪拉雅藝術資源網編號68309
seated in vajraparyankasana on a double-lotus base with a
beaded upper edge, both hands resting on the knees, with 展覽：
downcast eyes and a subtle smile, flanked by large ears and 阿什莫林博物館，牛津，2002-2005年借展
fleshy earlobes, wearing the Karmapa crown adorned with a 《Arte Buddhista Tibetana: Dei e Demoni dell’ Himalaya》
diamond shape, a sun and crescent moon, clad in robes with ，Palazzo Bricherasio，都靈，2004年6-9月
richly detailed borders and cascading in folds on the base 魯賓藝術博物館，紐約，2005-2017年借展
《Casting the Divine: Sculptures of the Nyingjei Lam
Himalayan Art Resources item no. 68309 Collection》，魯賓藝術博物館，紐約，2012-2013年
11.2 cm, 4⅜ in.

EXHIBITED

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 2002-2005, on loan.
Arte Buddhista Tibetana: Dei e Demoni dell’ Himalaya,
Palazzo Bricherasio, Turin, June-September 2004.
Rubin Museum of Art, New York, 2005-2017, on loan.
Casting the Divine: Sculptures of the Nyingjei Lam Collection,
Rubin Museum of Art, New York, 2012-2013.

HK$ 60,000-80,000
US$ 7,700-10,300

The richly embellished present lot depicts one of the Gyalwa
Karmapas, recognisable by the characteristic double-pointed
crown adorned with a sun and moon; the depiction with both
hands resting on the knees; and the robe depicted at the
reverse of the sculpture with tight vertical folds, all common
stylistic conventions of the Karma Kagyu lineages. This
particular hand gesture is known as the ‘mind refreshing’
gesture (Tibetan: sems nyid ngal gso); see Marylin Rhie and
Robert Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of
Tibet, London, 1996, p. 441.

The tulkus of the Shamarpa and Karmapa lineages have had a
historical relationship of spiritual mentorship and reciprocity
since the late thirteenth century. One of the earliest images of
a Karmapa wearing the characteristic black abbot’s hat can be
found on an early thirteenth century thangka in the collection
of the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg, see ibid., cat. no.
133.

It is possible that this may depict the first Karmapa,
Dusum Khyenpa, who was known for his large ears and
fleshy earlobes, amongst other distinguishing physical
characteristics. Compare the tight, stocky build of the present
work with a fifteenth century bronze figure depicting the
second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi, sold at Christie’s New York,
17th October 2001, lot 99.

82 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比