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Expert’s note:
Cast in the distinctive manner of 13th-century Tibetan metalwork, this figure belongs to the formative period of Tibetan sculpture known as the Chidar. The ungilded surface is smooth and lustrous, displaying a warm golden tone that has retained much of its brilliance over the centuries. The figure is robustly modeled and stands upright, while the robe falls elegantly from one shoulder and encircles the arm, imparting a graceful sense of movement to the composition. The limbs are elongated, with the fingers and toes rendered delicately and with remarkable vitality. The face is full and rounded, with a pronounced jawline, while the arched brows, characteristic of earlier Tibetan sculpture, are here slightly broader and more relaxed. A closely comparable treatment of the facial features and lotus petals is found in a brass figure of Ratnasambhava published in Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, p. 180, pl. 34A.
X-ray images of the present lot (available upon request) further confirm the exceptional casting precision, a hallmark of Tibetan bronzes from this period.
Boldly cast seated in dhyanasana in deep meditation, the right hand lowered in bhumisparsha mudra and the left actively held above the lap in dhyana mudra, with minutely copper-inlaid fingernails. The deity is clad in loosely draped monastic robes with minutely beaded hems. The serene face, with meticulously articulated features including heavily incised eyebrows and sinuously lidded eyes inlaid in silver, bow-shaped lips of copper pursed in a powerful smile. The hair is arranged in precisely modeled, tightly coiled snail-shell curls over the high stupa-shaped ushnisha.
The base sealed with a copper plate.
Provenance: A noted private collection in the United States, acquired in the mid-1990's. Sotheby's New York, 21 March 2019, lot 933, sold for USD 30,000 or approx. EUR 34,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collection in Hong Kong, acquired from the above.
Condition: Good condition with expected old wear, casting irregularities including metal fills, light warping, the back of the base with a fatigue crack, few small recesses and tiny holes mostly to the back, minor dents to the sealing plate. Overall with a naturally developed patina characteristic of this type, remarkably even in appearance and distinguished by an elegant golden sheen.
Weight: 1,286 g
Dimensions: Height 24.7 cm
During the Second Transmission of Buddhism to Tibet (Chidar), generations of Tibetans gathered Indian devotional texts, paintings, and sculpture, seeking a ‘purer’ form of Buddhism from the religion's geographical origin. Having many features that are faithful to the original, and some deviations, this sculpture is an excellent example of the Pala style of Northeastern India as it was adapted in Tibet.
Aspects of the Pala style exhibited by the present bronze include the broad lotus petals around the base, the light, form-fitting robe, and the spiky snail-shell curls throughout the hair.
Further evidence of the Pala heritage informing this work is found in its exquisitely executed silver and copper inlays. The figure's serene expression is enhanced by finely inlaid silver eyes, while the lips are delicately highlighted with copper. The same refined copper inlay is used to accentuate the fingernails, lending a striking naturalism and subtle vitality to the elegantly extended hand.
The figure is ungilded, in common with the majority of metal sculpture from eastern India and in contrast to the popular gilt copper medium of metal sculpture from Nepal. This iconographic form of Shakyamuni Buddha, in which the historical Buddha is presented in the earth-touching gesture (bhumisparsha mudra), recalls an episode from his spiritual biography in which he triumphs over Mara (maravijaya) just prior to his enlightenment.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2 October 2017, lot 3131
Estimate: HKD 1,500,000 or approx. EUR 203,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An inscribed early copper-inlaid bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Tibet, 12th-13th century
Expert remark: Compare the alloy and patina, the base, inlay decoration, the face, and the tall ushnisha. Note the size (29.8 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 2 December 2020, lot 1009
Price: HKD 752,500 or approx. EUR 92,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A silver and copper inlaid copper alloy figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, Tibet, 13th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, and inlay decoration. Note the size (31.8 cm).
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