Nepal, Mahasahasrapramardini

12th-14th century, Nepal, Mahasahasrapramardini, gilt copper with turquoise, lapis lazuli, ruby, rock crystal inlay, 27 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 527 pl. 171B, at the Gser khang lha khang of the Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery, Lhasa (Tibet).

Maha Sahasrapramardini (also called Maha Sahasrapramardana) is one of the five female deities who embody five early Buddhist texts known as Pancha Raksha (the others are Mahamayuri, Maha Pratisara, Mahasitavati, and Maha Mantramanudharani or Maha Mantranusarini). She may have one or four heads, each with three eyes, and six to ten arms. The four-head and eight-arm form may hold a variety of implements. In this case, the main right hand is making the gesture of charity, the left one holds a noose, the middle hands clutch a bow and an arrow, one of the remaining right hands holds a broken sword, the other probably held a hook; the other left hands likely held a lotus and an axe. She may be seated on a lotus throne or standing on a corpse.

Nepal, various female deities (10)

Circa 10th century, Nepal, Sarasvati, copper with traces of gilding, 14,1 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 483 pl. 152D, Potala Collection, Sa gsum lha khang inventory nº 434, Lhasa (Tibet).

The goddess of the Arts and Speech in her one-head and four-arm form, standing, holding a rosary in her upper right hand, a grain in the lower one, a manuscript in the upper left hand, a water pot in the lower one. We saw a similar statue on Art Institute of Chicago

10th-11th century, Nepal, Chunda, copper with traces of gilding, 16 cm, photo as before (p. 487 pl. 154G), Potala Collection, inventory nº 815 at the Lima Lhakhang, Lhasa (Tibet).

Chunda’s most common form has one head and four hands, in which she holds a variety of implements. When her main hands hold a vase or a bowl, the upper right hand holds a rosary and the left one clutches a book, as above.

Circa 10th century, Nepal, attendant deity, copper, 13,4 cm, Buddhist or Brahmanical, photo as before (p. 482, pl. 152 A), Potala Collection, inventory nº 1321 at the Lima Lhakhang, Lhasa (Tibet).

Nepal, Nrtyadevi (2)

Circa 11th century, Nepal, Nrtya, dance offering goddess, gilt copper, 12,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 508 pl. 165A Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 677, Lhasa (Tibet)

A rare work that depicts Nrtyadevi seated, with her arms as if making a dancing movement. Her long dhoti and the sash across her chest are decorated with a stippled lotus pattern. 

15th century, Nepal, Nrtyadevi, polychrome wood, photo on Lost Arts of Nepal at the Musée Asiatica in Biarritz (France).

We are more accustomed to Malla Period polychrome-wood statues of her standing with one leg behind the other, as if dancing.

Nepal, various female deities (9)

17th century, Nepal, Ushnishavijaya, gilt cop., 12 cm, 24th May 2023 lot 461, Woolley & Wallis

1448 AD, Nepal, Prajnaparamita, gilt copper alloy with turquoise inlay, 17 cm, private collection, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art lot 106, 12th June 2023, Bonhams (Paris).

A singular image of the goddess of transcendent wisdom, a bodhisattva and mother of all buddhas. When depicted in her four-arm form, if she holds a rosary and a manuscript in her upper hands the other two normally make the ‘turning the wheel of dharma‘ gesture, or the lower right hand is held down in the gesture of generostiy and the left one holds a bowl. In this case, however, she holds a lotus bud in her cupped hands (see close up on HAR ), as indicated by Jing Wen from Bonhams, who also draws our attention to the headdress, a Malla-style helmet topped with a half-vajra finial (see reverse on  HAR) such as we have seen on quite a few Nepalese sculptures of Vajradhara, Vajrasattva, and Manjushri.

12th century, Nepal, Vasudhara, gilt copper, registration nº 1971,0925.1, at the British Museum in London (UK).

This remarkable work depicts Vasudhara in her most common form, seated on a lion throne covered with a cloth. Her dhoti and the sash across her breast are decorated with a stippled lotus pattern. Her cushion is incised with a larger floral design. She holds a bunch of jewels in her middle right hand, a manuscript, a sheaf of grain, a vase of longevity in her left hands.

15th century, Nepal, Tara (?), gilt copper repoussé with stone inlay, 34 cm, private collection, auction as before, photo on Bonhams . Labelled ‘unidentified’ on HAR.

If this is Tara, then the photo is the other way round. Green Tara sits with her right leg pendent and it is with her right hand that she makes the gesture of generosity and displays a gem; her left hand usually holds a lily and may make the gesture of debate.

Nepal, Sarasvati (4)

Circa 1700-1750, Nepal, Sarasvati, stone, photo Adalbert J. Gail Archive, near the Navadurga Temple in Patan (Nepal).

The goddess of Arts and Speech, of Hindu origin, depicted in her four-arm form. She holds a rosary in her upper right hand, a grain of cereal in the lower one, a book in the upper left hand, a water pot in the lower one.

Undated, Nepal, Saraswati, four-armed, in the posture of royal ease, (stone), photo on wikimedia , at the Mahabuddha Temple in Patan (Nepal)

Alternatively, she holds a vina in her main hands, a rosary and a book in the remaining ones.

17th-18th century, Nepal, Sarasvati, ivory, 14,4 cm, accession nº ITS1985.1.288.1 at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC (USA).

Her mount (described as a goose by the museum) is the peacock. We can see the head of the bird next to her lower right hand.

Nepal, Chunda (2)

10th-11th century, Nepal, Chunda, copper, cold gold, pigment, 14,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder (Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 484, pl. 153A), Potala Collection, inventory nº 404 at the Lima Lakhang in Lhasa (Tibet).

A rare and early Nepalese example of the eighteen-arm form of this deity (see more on HAR ), in the same style as the four-arm form seen in the previous post. Her main right hand makes the fear-allaying gesture, the left one holds a large alms bowl. Her other right hands hold a variety of implements such as a rosary, a vajra sceptre, possibly a hammer, an elephant goad, a jewel, a small sword, the last hand makes the gesture of supreme generosity. On the other side she holds a manuscript, a water pot, two items difficult to identify, a conch shell, a noose, a closed lotus, a ritual water pot.

Nepal, Chunda

11th century, Nepal, Cunda, copper with remains of gilding, cold gold, pigment, 19,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder (Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 484, pl. 153A), Potala Collection, inventory nº 404 at the Lima Lakhang in Lhasa (Tibet).

The embodiment of a mantra, Cunda/Chunda (the correct spelling includes a diacratic, not available here) is usually depicted with one head and four arms, although in Nepal she may have one head and sixteen or eighteen arms. In her four-arm form she holds a variety of attributes such as a rosary and a manuscript in her upper hands and a bowl in the lower ones, or a club and a flower in her upper hands, a knife and a staff in the lower ones, or a vajra sceptre and a manuscript in the upper ones, a rosary and a vessel in the lower ones. The above has a rosary and a manuscript in her upper hands, a large bowl in the lower left one, the lower right hand makes the gesture of supreme generosity and displays a jewel.

Nepal, Mala

11th century, Nepal, Mala, copper with traces of gilding, cold gold, pigment, 14,9 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder (Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 486, pl. 154A), Potala Collection, inventory nº 1409 at the Lima Lakhang in Lhasa (Tibet).

We have seen the offering goddess Vajramala, who occupies the South West in the Vajradhatu Mandala and holds a garland in both hands. More generally, Mala, who is the embodiment of the garland, may be part of a group of four, eight, or twelve deities as explained by the author. The above sits on a double-lotus base with broad petals backed by a serrated flaming halo – both typical of the Transitional Period – with her right leg resting on the other (paryankasana). We saw a similar figure, also from the Potala Collection, attributed to a Kashmiri artist in Western Tibet and featured in an article by Yannick Laurent on Khotan (Fig. 4 ).

Nepal, Prajnaparamita (5)

15th century, Nepal, Prajnaparamita, (gilt) copper alloy (with clear gems), 18,1 cm, item 48-4-256 at the National Museum in New Delhi (India).

The mother of all buddhas in her four-arm form, seated in the vajra position, her main hands making the ‘turning the wheel of dharma‘ gesture, the upper ones clutching a rosary and a book.

She wears a ritual helmet on her head.

16th century, Nepal, Prajnaparamita, (gilt) bronze (with turquoise-inlaid urna), 29,8 cm, nº 48-4-2 at the National Museum in New Delhi (India).

Nepal, female characters (5)

16th-17th century, Nepal, attendant, wood with pigment, 74,9 cm, inventory nº 1994.148.607 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (USA).

16th-17th century, Nepal, devi, wood strut, 57,8 cm, private collection, Images of Transcendance, 23rd March 1999, lot 94, Christie’s.This female character, who stands under a tree, holds a garland of flowers in her hands. Next to her, a minute Shakyamuni standing on a multi-layer lotus base makes the gesture of supreme generosity with his right hand and holds the edge of his garment with the other.

11th century, Nepal possibly, offering goddess, gilt bronze, 6,6 cm, private collection, photo on Pundole’s.

Another female figure with a garland in her hands.