Tibet, Akshobhya (11)

1150-1250 AD, Tibet, Buddha Akshobhya, brass, 49,5 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, p. 1163 pl. 308E, at the rNam rgyal lha khang of the sNye thang (Nyethang) monastery, (Tibet).

Although the upright vajra sceptre is missing from his left hand, this buddha is identified as Akshobhya since he belongs to a group of thatagatas (featured on pp. 1162 and 1163 of the above-mentioned publication) and the hand position corresponds to Akshobhya.

Circa 14th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, brass with turquoise and copper inlay (labelled ‘gilt bronze), 30 cm, private collection, photo on Ethereal

In his sambhogakaya aspect he has a princely/bodhisattva appearance. The short celestial scarf that flows above this buddha’s shoulders and drops behind his elbows is a feature often seen on 13th and 14th century Tibetan brass works deriving from the Indian Pala style.

13th-14th century, Tibet, Buddha (Akshobhya), bronze with silver-inlaid eyes, traces of cold gilding, 28 cm, private collection, Indian, Islamic, Southeast Asian and Himalayan Works of Art lot 537, 8th November 2023,  photo on Olympia Auctions

Alternatively, the figure is sometimes framed by lotuses that flower above his shoulders and reach the ribbons of his crown.

Tibet, Akshobhya – unusual works

16th century possibly, Tibet, Akshobhya, bronze, 18 cm, private collection, auction 1226 lot 69, 21st June 2023, Lempertz

Akshobhya in his princely appearance, seated with his legs locked, his right hand making the Earth-touching gesture, the other holding a (missing) upright vajra sceptre.

He wears a singular crown with an extra three leaves at the back, and a fine silk garment covering his shoulders.

Circa 12th century, Tibet or India, Akshobhya (labelled ‘Shadakshari Lokeshvara’), terracotta, The Triay Collection of Himalayan Art lot 410, 10th December 2022, Bonhams (Paris).

Akshobhya in his buddha appearance, holding an upright vajra sceptre in his left hand. His lotus seat is supported by elephants.

Circa, 15th-16th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, gilt copper alloy, 10,8 cm, private collection, Fine Asian Works of Art lot 320, 17th December 2018, Bonhams (San Francisco).

On rare occasions this buddha clutches his attribute horizontally in his right hand. The above holds a bowl in the other.

16th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, bronze with silver inlay, 25,2 cm, private collection, Auction 819 China 1, lot 38, 7th December 2023, Nagel

It is uncommon for a buddha to have the left side of his chest uncovered (we saw another Akshobhya whose outer robe covers both shoulders but not the left breast on Christie’s ) and even more so to be depicted with a fat belly. A small vajra sceptre is placed on the base before him.

Tibet, Akshobhya (10)

12th-13th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, copper alloy and stones (replaced), 41 cm, private collection, Arts d’Asie lot 164, 15th June 2023, Sotheby’s (Paris).

Akshobhya in his bodhisattva appearance, making the ‘calling Earth to witness’ gesture with his right hand, the other in the gesture of meditation, a vajra sceptre missing from it. He is adorned with a tall crown, princely jewellery, and a celestial scarf that forms an inverted omega-shaped frame around him. The plump apple-like petals of the lotus seat are typical of a group of early brass works made in Tibet at that period.

The lower part of his crown is incised with a Pala-style geometrical pattern and adorned with rosettes.

Unlabelled (15th century, Tibet, Akshobhya (?), painted clay), photo on Robert Harding, at the Kumbum in Gyantse, Tibet.

16th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, gilt copper alloy, 9 cm, private collection, Asian Art at Bruun Rasmussen lot 67, 29th November 2022, Bonhams (Copenhagen).

When depicted with a buddha appearance he could be confused with the historical buddha, who usually makes the same hand gesture, but the upright vajra sceptre in the palm of his left hand identifies the above as Akshobhya (who may also hold it horizontally in his right hand).

18th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, clay, 11 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 75, 9th December 2022, Lempertz.

Tibet, Askhobhya (9)

13th-14th century, Tibet, Aksobhya, bronze with traces of gilding and pigment, 35,6 cm, private collection, Fine Asian Works of Art lot 52, 14th December 2022, Bonhams (Los Angeles).

Akshobhya in his bodhisattva appearance, his right hand making the Earth-touching gesture, the other cupped to hold an upright vajra sceptre now missing (unless it was held horizontally in his right hand).

15th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, clay on a wooden armature, photo by Alain Collet, at the Akshobhya chapel in the Gyantse Kumbum (Tibet).

This buddha, who belongs to the vajra family and is situated in the East on a mandala, protects against anger. When painted, he has a dark blue body. His mount is the elephant, his element is water.

15th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, clay on a wooden armature, photo by Alain Collet as before, at the Gyantse Kumbum (Tibet).

Tibet, Akshobhya – bodhisattva appearance (9)

14th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, copper alloy, 19,8 cm, private collection, Dharma and Tantra lot 124, 20th September 2022, Sotheby’s.

Flanked by scrolling lotuses rising from the base, Akshobhya is depicted in his sambhogakaya form, adorned with Indian-style princely jewellery, a tall five-leaf crown secured with wire, a matching finial. His right hand makes the ‘calling Earth to witness’ gesture (bhumisparsha mudra), the other is cupped in the gesture of meditation and probably held an upright vajra sceptre (he sometimes holds it horizontally in his right hand).

Tibet, Askhobhya (9)

Always seated with his legs locked, Akshobhya, whose name means ‘the unshakeable one’, represents consciousness and touch, and protects against anger. He belongs to the vajra family and his mount or the animal supporting his throne is the elephant (although on rare occasions he sits on a lion throne with a vajra sceptre at the front of the plinth, not on top of it).

13th-14th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, copper alloy with copper-inlaid hem and necklace, 21 cm, private collection, photo on Sotheby’s

Akshobhya in his sambhogakaya form, his ‘inverted omega shape’ scarf floating behind him, the ribbons of his tall five-leaf crown (broken at the front) forming prominent side bows (we saw a similar feature on Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet ). He is wearing the long dhoti and Indian-style jewellery usually seen on such brass figures produced in Tibet during the 13th and the 14th century (and a little beyond).

14th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, gilt bronze with pigment, 25 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 3093, 2nd December 2021, Poly Auction (Hong Kong).

Sometimes the scarf is replaced by lotuses springing from the base.

15th-16th century, Tibet, a crowned buddha, gilt copper alloy and stone inlay, auction A201AS lot 109, 1st June 2022, Koller.

The bare chest and the full set of jewellery differentiate this figure from the historical buddha in his crowned appearance – the latter who would wear a sanghati and hardly any jewellery, if any.

15th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, gilt bronze, 21 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 3103, 2nd December 2021, Poly Auction (Hong Kong).

The same tathagata in his buddha appearance, seated on a throne supported by elephants and decorated with a dharma wheel at the front. He holds an upright vajra sceptre in his left hand.

 

Tibet, Akshobhya – bodhisattva appearance (7)

14th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, private collection, photo on Myriad Forms

Akshobhya’s hands are in the same position as most sculptures of the historical buddha, the right hand ‘calling Earth to witness’ (his enlightenment), the left one cupped in the gesture of meditation and normally holding an upright vajra sceptre (usually missing). The jewelled end of his garment arranged like a triple gem onto the base, the presence of shin ornaments, the rich gilding, and the rectangular urna on his forehead denote a strong Nepalese influence.

Circa 16th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, gilt copper alloy with turquoise inlay, silver, item 1963-155-12 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (USA).

Akshobhya’s vajra sceptre is normally upright in his left hand, or it is held horizontally in his right hand, or placed upright at the front of his lotus seat or throne. In this instance it is placed between the cushion, which is unusually smaller than the surface of the lotus seat, and the beaded edge of the latter (yet this is clearly not Shakyamuni, who always wears a sanghati, even when crowned). He wears a Chinese-style silk cape and two necklaces over it.

15th-16th century, Tibet, probably Akshobhya, gilt copper alloy with stone inlay, private collection, photo on Sotheby’s, Paris.

Vajrapani and Vajradhara may be flanked by lotuses that support a vajra sceptre and a vajra bell, but the hand position of this figure with a bodhisattva appearance corresponds to Akshobhya. We saw a sculpture of him holding the stem of a lotus that supports a vajra sceptre on HAR, the bell is most unusual.

Tibet, Akshobhya (8)

14th-15th century, Tibet, buddha, bronze with cold gold, private collection, photo on Nagel

The dharma wheels on the lotus base normally correspond to the historical buddha, often confused with Akshobhya because the hand gesture is the same, but crowned buddha figures never wear the full set of princely jewellery and, above all, they wear a sanghati. This is almost certainly Akshobhya in his bodhisattva appearance, an upright vajra sceptre missing from his left hand.

16th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, bronze with copper and silver inlay, item F1997.31.21 at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York (USA).

(See also a small set of clay figures depicting Akshobhya in his buddha appearance on HAR) 

Tibet, Akshobhya (7)

Circa 13th century, Tibet (labelled ‘Nepal’), Akshobhya, bronze, private collection, photo by Christie’s, sale 2544 lot 540, Amsterdam.

Akshobhya in his bodhisattva appearance, adorned with a tall five-leaf crown, a matching finial, princely jewellery, and an ‘inverted omega-shape’ scarf floating behind him (often seen on circa 13th century Tibetan brass buddhas and bodhisattvas). His left hand is cupped in the gesture of meditation and may have held a bowl, the right hand makes the ‘calling Earth to witness’ gesture.

14th-15th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, bronze with turquoise, cold gold and pigment, private collection, photo by Nagel, sale 108 China 1, lot 10.

A similar depiction, with turquoise-inlaid crown and jewellery, and painted facial details.

Early 16th century, Tibet, Akshobhya? (labelled ‘bodhisattva’), gilt bronze, private collection, photo by Christie’s, sale 2562 lot 67, Amsterdam.

On occasions he is flanked by lotuses that blossom at shoulder level.

Circa 14th century, Tibet, Akshobhya, gilt copper alloy, private collection, photo and full details on Bonhams, Hong Kong .

Because the vajra sceptre is placed horizontally before him (instead of upright in the palm of his hand), we could be looking at the historical buddha, seated on a lotus atop a stepped throne decorated with lions, a ritual vase, yakshas, and dharma wheels. However, in his meticulous description, Mr Wilkinson remarks that there is also a pair of elephants at the back, thus identifying this buddha as Akshobhya.

Tibet, Akshobhya (6)

14th century, Western Tibet, Akshobhya, brass, private collection, photo on wikimedia , at the Museu de Cultures del Món in Barcelona (Spain).

Possibly 14th-15th century, Tibet, Akshobhya (labelled ‘Crowned Buddha Shakyamuni), gilt bronze with stone inlay, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (USA).

The absence of a sanghati and the full set of jewellery, including three unusual necklaces, suggest that this is Akshobhya in his bodhisattva appearance, the upright vajra sceptre now missing from his left hand.

15th century, Tibetan school, Akshobhya, gilt copper (or copper alloy?), private collection, photo on mutualart .

16th-17th century, Tibet, buddha Akshobhya, bronze, private collection, photo on Uppsala .

Akshobhya in his buddha appearance, holding an upright vajra sceptre in his left hand while making the ‘calling Earth to witness’ gesture with the other.