7th century, Northwestern India, Kashmir schools, Buddha Shakyamuni, brass, 36,5 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 91 pl. 13B, at the Ya phyi lha khang of the Bri gung mthil monastery (Drigung Thil, Tibet).
The Kashmiri lion throne typically includes a yaksha at the centre. Shakyamuni holds an alms bowl and a piece of his garment in his left hand. His right hand makes a gesture as if holding something between the forefinger and the thumb.
7th-8th century, Kashmir, Crowned Buddha Maitreya or Shakyamuni, brass, 17,7 cm, photo as before (p. 121 pl. 25B), Potala Collection, inventory nº 478 at the Sa gsum lha khang, Lhasa (Tibet).
Such figures seated with both legs pendent are usually identified as Maitreya, but when he wears a crown he usually has a bare chest and wears a scarf and the full set of princely jewellery seen on bodhisattvas. Shakyamuni, on the other hand, wears a monastic garment that covers most of his chest, and in Gandhara and Kashmir he often wears earrings, a necklace, and armbands but no anklets or bracelets. The above is wearing bracelets but no anklets.
11th-12th century, Kashmir (or Western Tibet?), Vajrasattva, (labelled ‘Padmasambhava’), bronze, 14 cm, private collection, Decorative Art lot 171, 22nd October 2021, photo on Drouot
We saw an almost identical statue of Vajrasattva (reproduced below for comparison), also attributed to Kashmir, yet the shape of the crown, with huge side bows with split ends, the low forehead, and the overall facial features differ quite a lot from Kashmiri standards. The distinctive decoration on the halo, the style of the lotus seat, and the stepped throne bring to mind a couple of buddhas seen on Sotheby’s and liveauctioneers, attributed to ‘Ladakh or Western Tibet’ and ‘Kashmir or Tibet respectively.
Circa 10th century Kashmir, Vajrasattva, bronze, private collection, photo by Nagel Auction, 2017.