Page 76 - Bonham's Asian Art London November 12, 2015
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A RARE GILT-COPPER FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA
CHATURBHUJA
Nepal, 14th/15th century
The deity seated in dhyanasana on a high double lotus base, the main
hands in anjali mudra, the others in vitarka mudra holding prayer beads
and a lotus stem, wearing a dhoti and beaded jewellery inlaid with
hardstones, the face with a benevolent expression, the hair piled into
a high chignon surrounding a foliate tiara, the base sealed and incised
with a double vajra. 13cm (5 1/8in) high
£3,000 - 4,000 CNY29,000 - 39,000
HK$35,000 - 47,000
尼泊爾十四/十五世紀 赤銅鎏金四手觀世音菩薩坐像
Provenance: the Jeannette Claude Jongen collection of Buddhist Art
來源: Jeannette Claude Jongen夫人珍藏佛教藝術品
The finer details of the face, crown and hair are obscured by the later
application of cold-gold and pigments indicating that the figure was
venerated in Tibet.
Compare with a closely related example of Amitayus, formerly in the
Goldman Collection, sold at Sotheby’s New York, 21 March 2002, lot
76 119.
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A VERY RARE SMALL GILT-COPPER FIGURE OF TAKKIRAJA
Nepal, circa 12th century
The wrathful deity standing in alidhasana, the right hand outstretched
holding a hook, the left close to the chest, wearing a small garment
incised with floral scrolls around the waist, adorned with an elaborate
necklace and beaded anklets, the hair anklets, the long hair tied in a
top knot surrounding a foliate tiara, with a later stand.
7.8cm (3 1/8in) high (2).
£3,000 - 4,000 CNY29,000 - 39,000
HK$35,000 - 47,000
尼泊爾約十二世紀 赤銅鎏金欲帝明王小立像
Provenance: the Jeannette Claude Jongen collection of Buddhist Art
Published and Illustrated: A.Neven, Etudes D’Art Lamaique et de
L’Himalaya, Brussels, 1978, p.117, pl.20 (the catalogue is offered as
part of the lot).
來源: Jeannette Claude Jongen夫人珍藏佛教藝術品
收錄及出版: A.Neven, Etudes D’Art Lamaique et de L’Himalaya,
布魯塞爾, 1978年, 頁117, 圖20 (此拍品將附贈圖錄一冊)
The diminutive size of this rare deity suggests that it was originally
a part of a larger throne fulfilling his role of protector or directional
guardian. See P.Pal, The Art of Nepal, Los Angeles, 1985, no.S22,
p.103, for an elaborate 12th century casting of Scenes from the Life
of Buddha in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art that contains
closely related figures beneath the throne.
The large hook held in the right hand, which has curved due the
almost pure soft nature of the copper alloy, indicates that the figure
may have been a work of Newari craftsmen. As the guardian of the
Southeast, Takkiraja is considered one of Three Great Red Ones
(mar po kor sum) of the Guhyasamaja Tantra, along with Kurukulla
of the Hevajra Tantra, Maharakta Ganapati associated with the
Chakrasamvara Tantra. Compare the crown and proportions of a
13th/14th century Vajrapani suggested to be from the Khasa Malla
region in the Alain Bordier Collection, see G.Beguin, Art sacre de Tibet,
Suilly-la-Tour, 2013, p. 114, no. 44.
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