Circa 13th century, Tibet, Jambhala, gilt copper with turquoise inlay, 10 cm, private collection, Auction 824, Fine Asian Art, Tibet lot 14, 10th June 2024, Nagel
Black Jambhala, with the appearance of a wrathful young yaksha, naked and ithyphallic, adorned with snakes, holds a skull cup in his right hand and a jewel-spitting mongoose in the left one. This form of Jambhala normally stands with one leg straight and the other bent, crushing Ganapati or a victim with a human appearance who vomits jewels (as above). This one is squatting (see also third picture).
13th-14th century, Tibet, Black Jambhala, copper alloy, 9,8 cm, private collection, Mystical Tantra lot 8, 21st May 2024, Hollywood Galleries
14th-15th century, Tibet, Black Jambhala, stone, 4,7 cm, private collection, Purity and Enlightenment lot 6, Hollywood Galleries
Labelled ‘circa 13th century, Tibet’, Black Jambhala, copper alloy, 6,7 cm, private collection, Mystical Tantra as before, lot 9.
Reminiscent of much later Sino-Tibetan works, the above has a ferocious look and a large mitre-like hairstyle or headdress (?), both unusual for an early Tibetan sculpture of this deity. The single lotus base with the petals going upward is also unexpected.
Circa 15th century, Tibet, iron figurine of Jambhala, 6,3 cm, private collection, Nagel as before, lot 15.
16th century or earlier, Tibet or Nepal, Black Jambhala, copper alloy, 5 cm, private collection, IBID 144 Asian Art – Online Only, lot 9502, 19th June 2024, Koller
Himalayan Buddhist Art - Art Bouddhiste de l'Himalaya 