Nepal, various characters (7)

17th century, Nepal, Vikram Shahi, King of Jumla, painted clay, photo on Lost Arts of Nepal, at the Drigung Gompa, Bumatara, Tichurong, Lower Dolpo.

17th-18th century, Nepal, female donor, gilt bronze, 14,5 cm, The Sporer Collection of Himalayan Sculpture lot 46, 15th September 2015, Christie’s

4th-6th century, Nepal, Siddhartha and Yashodhara, (size and material not quoted), photo on wisdomlib, at the National Museum of Nepal.

Dressed in a short dhoti and adorned with jewellery and a crested hair ornament, the prince is seated in a yogic pose with a meditation strap around his raised knee. The treatment of the face is very different from the images of Siddhartha made in Gandhara.

7th century, Nepalese artist in Tibet, Siddhartha in discourse with a king and vidyadhara, wood, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 418 pl. 133D, doorway to the Protector Maitreya chapel of the Jokhang in Lhasa (Tibet).

For comparison: a wood carving of Siddhartha made by a Nepalese artist for the Jokhang temple in Lhasa, Tibet.

Nepal, various characters (6)

Circa 16th century, Nepal, Sakyasribhadra probably, stone, photo taken by Ulrich von Schroeder in May 2013 (Nepalese Stone Sculptures Volume Two, p. 1271 fig. X11-4), on the ground floor of the Devadharma Gonpa or Marme Lhakhang, Tibetan monastery located west of the Svayambhu Mahacaitya in Kathmandu (Nepal).

This ascetic, probably Shakyashri Bhadra, is seated on a tiger skin, his hair gathered in an intricate topknot, his body adorned with bone jewellery and a matching cross-belt. He holds a vajra sceptre in his right hand and a skull cup in the other. See more about this 12th century tantric master of Kashmiri origin on tsemrinpoche

16th century, Nepal, Padmasambhava, wood with pigments, photo on wisdomlib, at the Patan Museum (Nepal).

17th-18th century, Nepal, Padmasambhava, gilt copper with stone inlay, 10,2 cm, The Moke Mokotoff Collection lot 361, 13th September 2023, Christie’s

16th century, Nepal, Mahasiddha Virupa, gilt copper, 6,3 cm, private collection, photo on Lost Arts of Nepal

16th-17th century, Nepal, ‘Sariputra or Moudgalyayana’, gilt copper repoussé and wood, 43,2 cm, private collection, photo on Lost Arts of Nepal

18th century, Nepal, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, gilt bronze, private collection, Art d’Asie lot 335, 10th June 2014, Sotheby’s (Paris).

Nepal, various characters (5)

Circa 14th century, Nepal, Padampa Sanggye, gilt copper alloy, 7 cm, private collection, Asian Art at Bruunrasmussen lot 76, 29th November 2022, Bonhams (Copenhagen).

The famous Indian teacher is depicted in his characteristic ‘pacification posture’, i.e. squatting on the lotus base with both hands in the gesture of debate before his chest (and holding a small round object, perhaps a pill or a pearl, in this case), the lower part of his body wrapped with his cloak. He is also known as Dampa Sangye, Dampa Gyagar, Kamalasila, Black Acarya, Mipan Gonpo, and Little Black Indian (see more on Treasury of Lives ).

14th century, Nepal, Mahasiddha Ghantapa, gilt bronze, private collection, Asian Art lot 3094, 2nd December 2021, Polyauction.

This Indian master is usually depicted in embrace with his consort and always holds a vajra bell in each hand (one of them missing here).

Nepal, devotees (2)

17th-18th century, Nepal, Kathmandu Valley, donors, copper alloy with traces of gilding, 10 cm and 12 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 123, 3rd December 2018, Koller.

Like other Malla king and queen sets seen previously, he is kneeling, she sits with a leg folded and the other raised, they both press their hands together before their chest in a gesture of respectful salutation.

Nepal, Mahasiddha Shavaripa

12th century, Nepal, Mahasiddha Sabaripa, stone with pigments, private collection, photo on Bonhams

A rare and early Nepalese stele depicting Shavaripa/Sabaripa, identified by the bow and arrow in his left hand. There is a long-life vase in the skull cup in his other hand.

Nepal, various characters (4)

15th-16th century, Nepal, ascetic, bronze, 6,4 cm, private collection, photo on Christie’s

Seated in a yogic posture, this male character makes the gesture of supreme generosity with his right hand and the gesture of debate with the other. His hair is gathered in a topknot and there is a sacred cord across his chest.

15th-16th century, Nepal, Padmasambhava with consorts, copper alloy, at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York (USA).

Dressed in sumptuous layman’s clothes including an outer garment with a cloud-shaped collar, and adorned with large floral earrings and necklaces, Padmasambhava is flanked by Mandarava, a princess from Himachal Pradesh, and Yeshe Tsogyal, a Tibetan princess. The two ladies are depicted in a similar way, seated in a relaxed manner with a hand over their raised knee. Mandarava, to his right, holds what may be a skull cup in her left hand. Yeshe Tsogyal, to his left, holds what may be a pot in her right hand. As usual, he holds an upright vajra sceptre before his heart, and a skull cup below, his ritual staff is missing.

18th century, Nepal, Mahasiddha Kukkuripa, clay, photo on HAR, collection Rubin Museum of Art (nowhere to be found on their website) in New York (USA).

A rare image of the Indian adept, identified by the little dog he holds under his right arm, seated with his right knee on the back of a snow lion.

Nepal, various characters (3)

16th-17th century, Nepal, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, parcel-gilt copper repoussé with paint, private collection, photo by Sotheby’s, Indian & Southeast Asian Art, 1st April 2005, lot 87.

The two arhats wear a brocaded shawl that leaves the right arm free, and a long pleated skirt-like garment with an incised border such as we have seen on various Nepalese sculptures of buddha Dipankara. They hold a bowl in their left hand and a staff (not normally associated with them) in the other.

18th century, Nepal, king and queen? (labelled karmapa and devotee), gilt bronze, 19 cm, private collection, sale 103 China 1 lot 34, 21st June 2018, Nagel.

The male figure is dressed in kingly attire, including a long-sleeve coat that cover both arms and a cloud-shaped cape (unusual for a karmapa). He is seated with his legs locked and wears a lotus hat, a mala, and earrings now lost. He holds a rosary and a book. The female figure has her hair tied in a bun and is adorned with earrings and various necklaces. She sits in a relaxed manner and her hands are in the gesture of salutation.

12th century, Nepal, yogi, copper alloy, 11 cm, item 54.3032 at The Walters Art Museum (USA).

This naked character is holding a skull cup in his left hand and an unidentified object on the other side. His meditation belt is worn across the chest like a sash. His hair is fastened and divided into three topknots, which indicates that he may be a tantric teacher rather than a simple adept.

Nepal, devotees

17th century, Nepal, Sri Muni Vajracharya, gilt copper alloy, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art  in New York (USA).

An inscription on the back gives us the name of the worshipper and tells us that he is making the offerings (a lamp and a ewer) to Avalokiteshvara.

18th century, Nepal, king Bhupatindra, bronze (gilt copper alloy), private collection, photo on Hardt 

We have seen Bhupatindra as a clean-shaven young man, kneeling and holding his hands before his heart in much the same way, we now see him as a mature man with a moustache and a large urna on his forehead, adorned with just a necklace.

18th century, Nepal, worshippers, bronze, oil lamp, private collection, photo on Hardt, sale 03.

One of many Nepalese ritual lamps to burn ghee,  featuring a couple of devotees dressed in heavy garments. The man is kneeling, she is half kneeling-half crouching.

Nepal, various characters

Circa 14th century, Nepal, Mahasiddha Kirava, terracotta, private collection, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (USA), photo here.

Before acquiring ‘siddhi‘, this Indian master, also known as Kilapa/ Kirapalapa/Kiralawapa, was a king and a warrior, hence the sword and shield in his hands. A brief biography can be found on Buddhism

15th century, Nepal, Mahasiddha, wood with pigment, at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena (USA).

Seated in a yogic posture, his right hand making the fear-allaying gesture, this Indian adept wears a floral tiara and matching earrings (one missing).

15th-16th century, Nepal or Nepalese artist in Tibet?, Mahasiddha Kukkuripa, gilt copper, at the Tibet Museum in Lhasa, photo by Verena Ziegler on WHAV

A late-Malla portrait of Kukkuripa with his little dog; he is adorned with princely jewellery, his hair gathered in a topknot with a half-vajra finial.

Undated (Malla period), Nepal, Padmasambhava, gilt bronze (copper alloy), private collection.

The Indian teacher is often shown pointing a vajra sceptre to his heart while holding a skull cup with the other.

18th century, Nepal, Padmasambhava, bronze (brass), at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (USA) umma

The backplate on this sculpture is typical of the late Malla period, while the design of the lotus petals is associated with Bhutanese art.

18th century, Nepal, ‘fire-gilt bronze of a seated priest’, private collection, sale 101 China I lot 29, 6th December 2017, Nagel.

Unlike Tibetan monks, this Nepalese character wears a necklace and large earrings, and has both arms covered. He holds a manuscript in his left hand.

Nepal, the kingly appearance

12th century, Nepal, king, probably Gunakamadeva, gilt copper, 12,2 cm, private collection, photo onChristie’s(Paris).

The king’s long hair is worn in a thick plait coiled on his head like a turban. He is adorned with a gem-inlaid choker and a heavy chain necklace.

17th century, Nepal, king and queen, brass, 26,6 cm, private collection, photo on Christie’s

The couple on this ritual lamp is portrayed in a similar way to the Malla king and queen we saw in a previous post (see here ). He is kneeling and wears a dhoti held in place with a belt and a turban with festooned beads; she is seated at royal ease, and wears a sari. Her hair is tied at the back, he has a short beard and moustache.

Late 17th or early18th century, Nepal, Pema Gyalpo and Loden Chogse, bronze, 39,3 cm and smaller, private collection, photo on Pundole’s 

It is unusual to see Nepalese sculptures of Padmasambhava, either in his normal or his other forms. These two figures with a kingly appearance both hold a drum in their right hand, an attribute associated with Pema Gyalpo, who holds a mirror (and sometimes a bowl) in the left hand, and Loden Chogse, who is supposed to hold a skull cup.