Page 20 - Indian, Himalaya and Asian Art Bonhams Setp 2015

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A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VISHNU
18 | BONHAMS Northeastern India, Pala period, circa 11th century
Seated on a rising lotus base with a donor figure in front, holding the
chakra, conch, and two lotuses, the raised edges rubbed and worn
from centuries of ritual handling.
2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm) high
$2,000 - 3,000

印度東北部 帕拉時期 約十一世紀 毗濕奴銅像

Given the unusual flattened circular lotus base, this figure likely
appeared at the center of a sculptural lotus mandala, such as a closely
related Vishnu mandala published in Kramrisch, The Art of Nepal, New
York, 1964, p.64, no.14, or a Chakrasamvara mandala in Zangchuan
Fojiao Zaoxiang-Gugong Bowuyuan Cang Wenwu Zhenpin Quanji,
Hong Kong, 2008, pp. 122-3, no. 117. Also see Casey Medieval
Sculpture from Eastern India, Livingston, 1985, pp. 44 and 71 nos. 19
and 43, and Sotheby’s, New York, 6 October 1990, lot 300.

Referenced
HAR - himalayanart.org/items/33018

Provenance
Nagel Auktionen, 2000
Private New York Collection

11
A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAJRATARA
Northeastern India, Pala period, 11th century
In padmasana on a stepped lotus pedestal, her hands holding the
bow and arrow, conch, lotus, and displaying tarjani mudra, her four
heads surmounted by a vajra crown.
3 1/4 in. (8.2 cm) high
$7,000 - 10,000

印度東北部 帕拉時期 十一世紀 金剛度母銅坐像

Vajratara is defined as being yellow in color with four faces and eight
hands, peaceful in appearance. She is from the Vajrapanjara Tantra, an
exclusive explanatory tantra in the Hevajra cycle of tantras. Vajratara is
also included in the famous compendium of deity practices called the
Vajravali compiled by Abhayakara Gupta.

Northeastern Indian images, such as this exquisite example, became
an enormous influence on the development of Tibetan art with (See
lots 16, 17, 18 in this sale.) The representation of Tara in this form is
very rare. Another example is on the cover, spine, and title page of
von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 2008, 1981, nos.
73G&H and another sold at Sotheby’s, New York, 26 March 2003, lot
41. For a discussion on the iconography of the deity, see Huntington
and Huntington, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree, 1990, pp. 164-165.

Referenced
HAR - himalayanart.org/items/33017

Published
Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, pp.
276-7, no. 66F

Provenance
Private Collection, Berlin by 1981
Nagel Auktionen
Private New York Collection