Tibet, Amitabha (10)

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

This buddha is identified as Amitabha (and not Shakyamuni) because he belongs to the set of tathagatas mentioned in the previous post.

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, bronze, 13,4 cm, private collection, Auction 819 lot 24, Nagel

Amitabha usually sits with his hands in the gesture of meditation to support an alms bowl. The above wears monastic clothes  with beaded hems and a copper-inlaid border with an incised grain motif.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze, 43,2 cm, private collection, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art lot 522, 20th March 2024, Christie’s

A different style with a richly incised silk robe that covers both shoulders and an undergarment tied below the breast, its border decorated with a rice grain pattern. The urna on the buddha’s forehead and the folds of fabric over his left shoulder were once inlaid with stones.

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16th-17th century, Tibet, Amitabha, bronze, photo Miracle Potato on wikimedia, inventory nº 3310 at the Patan Museum (Nepal).

The peacocks between the yaksha who supports the throne and the snow lions at each corner tell us that this buddha, whose hands are in the gesture of meditation, is Amitabha, who probably held a bowl now lost. Amitabha is the tathagata who represents perception and taste, and is invoked to protect against desire. His wrathful forms are Hayagriva and Dorje Setrap. His disciples are Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani, who may have an effigy of him in their headdress or on their head. Other figures who may have such an effigy are Maitreya, Manjushri, Jambhala, King Songtsen Gampo, Amoghapasha, Kurukulla, Tara (especially in Mongolia). In his sambhogayakaya form he usually holds a vase of longevity and is known as Amitayus.

16th-17th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt copper alloy, 14 cm, The Claude de Marteau Collection Part II lot 30, 4th October 2022, Bonhams (Paris).

Circa 17th century, Tibet or Nepal, Amitabha, copper repoussé, 47,5 cm, private collection, Indian and Himalayan Art lot 133, 21st March 2023, Sotheby’s (labelled ‘Tibet’ on HAR ).

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Second half of the 15th century, Central or Western Tibet (labelled ‘China’ on HAR ), Amitabha, gilt copper repoussé, pigment, 42,5 cm, nº S2014.19 at the National Museum of Asian Artof the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC (USA).

Amitabha, whose name means ‘infinite light’, is the buddha of the West on a mandala. Seated with his legs locked, he has both hands in the meditation gesture to hold a begging bowl (or a long-life vase on rare occasions. As we have seen before, his princely/sambhogakaya aspect is known as Amitayus (but in his buddha aspect he is never called Amitayus).

18th century, Tibet, Amitabha, bronze, 18 cm, school of Choying Dorje, now part of the Ulrich von Schroeder collection, photo on Asian Art auction A185AS lot 115, 6th June 2018, Koller.

On this Swat-Valley revival work he holds a long-life vase and has the flame of enlightenment coming out of his chignon.

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Undated (15th or 16th century?), Tibet, Tsang province, Amitabha, (copper alloy), private collection, photo on Himalayan Art Resources .

Amitabha always has a buddha appearance (sanghati covering one or both arms, no crown, scarf or jewellery) and both hands in the gesture of meditation, usually to support a bowl of nectar.

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt metal, photo on flickr, at the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai (India).

18th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze with cold gold, pigment, turquoise, item 1893,0320.133 at the British Museum in London (UK).

Occasionally he holds a long-life vase, normally associated with his other aspect, Amitayus, who always has a bodhisattva appearance (princely crown and jewellery, no upper garment except for a sash, scarf or shawl).

18th century, Tibet, Buddha of Confession possibly, gilt bronze, private collection, photo by Christie’s, sale 2529 lot 129, Amsterdam.

Various confession buddhas also make this gesture. If the sculpture is not part of a set of wisdom buddhas, only an inscription on the base can give us the subject’s identity.

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14th century (or later?), Tibet, Amitabha, bronze with silver inlay, private collection, photo on Hardt .

A singular image of Amitabha in a robe covering both arms and decorated with a large lotus flower at the front.

14th-15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, copper repoussé, private collection, photo on Drouot .

An equally rare sculpture of a buddha (Amitabha or Shakyamuni) flanked by lotuses, seated on a single lotus base with a double arch, a row of flames on the outer part, and a plain nimbus fastened to his shoulders.

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha (labelled ‘Amitayus’), gilt bronze, private collection, photo on Hardt as before, lot 112.

On occasions Amitabha, who always has a buddha appearance, holds a long-life vase like Amitayus, his bodhisattva aspect.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze with pigment, at the National Gallery in Prague (Czech Republic).

Another example of Amitabha holding a vase of longevity.

16th-17th century, Tibet, Amitabha (labelled ‘Amitayus’), gilt bronze, private collection, photo by Cambi Casa d’Aste, sale 365 lot 231.

16th-17th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze, private collection, photo on Drouot .

17th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt and lacquered zitan (red sandalwood), private collection, photo on Sotheby’s, Hong Kong .

Amitabha, identified by an inscription on the base, dressed in a silk robe with a floral print.

Undated, Tibet, Amitabha, silver and gilt metal with stone inlay, at the Rietberg Museum in Zürich (Switzerland).

A rare silver figure with cold gold on his face and black pigment in his hair, the border of his sanghati decorated with a stippled lotus motif (see close up on HAR ). The backplate depicts elephants supporting sharabhas with vegetation in their mouth, horizontal lotuses supporting two miniature buddhas and two makaras with scrolling tails. There is a halo of flames around the buddha’s head, and a garuda above.

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Labelled ‘Tibet’ on HAR , Amitabha, brass with silver and copper inlay, private collection, 12th century, Northeastern India, on Bonhams, Hong Kong .

We have seen many brass works with a stern gaze, stiff pose, and fleshy toes derived from the Pala style, together with a copper-inlaid hem with an engraved lotus pattern, copper-inlaid lips and nails, typical of a style attributed to 13th-14th century Tibet. The blue pigment in his hair indicates, at any rate, that the statue was worshipped in Tibet.

14th century, Tibet or China, Amitabha (labelled ‘Amitayus’), gilt copper alloy, private collection, photo on Bonhams.

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, metal with copper inlay (and cold gold, pigments), private collection, photo on HAR .

15th century, Western Tibet, Guge, Amitabha, brass with silver-inlaid eyes, private collection, photo by Koller, 14th June 1997.

This late Guge-style work depicts Amitabha with a bowl of amrita in his hands, his silk garments draped in the Chinese fashion and decorated with an embroidered border.

16th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt copper alloy with pigment, turquoise and coral inlay, private collection, photo and close up on Bonhams, Hong Kong

15th-16th century, Southern Tibet, Amitabha (labelled ‘Amitayus’), gilt bronze, on exhibition at the Oglethorpe Museum in Atlanta (USA).

Amitabha always has a buddha appearance (i.e. dressed in a sanghati, no crown, jewellery or scarf) but on occasions he holds a vase of longevity in his hands like Amitayus, his bodhisattva aspect.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Amitabha (labelled ‘Amitayus’), gilt bronze, private collection, photo by Tessier-Sarrou, Art d’Asie 16th December 2019, lot 29.

On this Nepalese-style sculpture the buddha’s robe covers both shoulders.

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14th-15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze with pigments, private collection, photo by Polyauction.

Amitabha sits in the vajra position, his hands cupped to hold a bowl.

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, copper fusion (alloy) with traces of polychromy, private collection, photo by Florence Number Nine, 2013.

An example with painted facial features.

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze, at the National Gallery in Prague (Czech Republic).

Occasionally he holds a long-life vase (not necessarily the original attribute) normally associated with his other aspect, Amitayus, who has a princely appearance.

16th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze, private collection, photo by Nagel.

Tibet, Amitabha (3)

Circa 15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt bronze, private collection, photo on Sotheby’s.

Amitabha, with a plump face and a turquoise-inlaid urna, holding a begging bowl; the border of his robe is decorated with a chased pattern and a row of thick beading.

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha (labelled Amitayus), gilt bronze (copper alloy), private collection, photo on Gazette Drouot.

We have seen a few sculptures of Amitabha holding a long-life vase instead of a begging bowl.

Circa 18th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt copper alloy, private collection, photo on Bonhams.

The above holds a jar filled with nectar.

Circa 18th century, Tibet, Amitabha, photo on HAR.

The same, dressed with embroidered silk garments.

18th century, Tibet, Amitabha, copper alloy with cold gold and paint, private collection, photo on Koller.

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Second half of 15th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt copper repoussé and pigments, at the Freer Sackler Gallery of the Smithonian Institution in Washington D.C. (USA).

Seated in the vajra position on a single lotus with the petals going downwards, both hands in the meditation gesture to hold a (missing) bowl, Amitabha has a round chignon topped with a lotus bud finial, a squarish face with a tiny mouth, large ears, marked pectorals and fleshy fingers and toes. His garments are draped in the Chinese fashion and decorated with an incised border.

15th century, Western Tibet, Guge period (late), Amitabha, bronze, private collection, photo on Sotheby’s.

This buddha has a small oval face with flat ears and silver-inlaid eyes that recall the much earlier Kashmiri style. He sits on a lotus base with two rows of broad petals, his robe is incised throughout and draped like the previous one, with the the lower part folded into a neat shape that imitates the petals of the pedestal.

16th century, Tibet, Amitabha, gilt copper alloy, at the Liverpool Museum (UK).

This Amitabha with a small triangular face is seated on a cushion over a lotus with long stamens, wearing a robe that covers both shoulders (like seated buddhas of the Nepalese Licchavi period), his dhoti showing below the sanghati.

18th century, same as before, at the British Museum in London (UK).

Instead of wearing a patched monastic robe that denotes humility, the above wears a luxury silk garment richly decorated with incisions and beading.

Tibet, Amitabha-Amitayus (2)

15th century, Tibet, Amitabha (labelled ‘Amitayus’), gilt copper alloy with stone inlay, photo by Pundole’s, auction M009 lot 48.

Amitayus and Amitabha are two aspects of the same deity, with both hands in the meditation gesture. The former has a bodhisattva appearance and holds a long-life vase, the latter has a buddha appearance and normally holds an alms bowl.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Amitabha (labelled ‘Amitayus’), gilt copper alloy, private collection, photo on Christie’s.

The above wears a loosely draped sanghati decorated with an incised border. His face is painted with cold gold and pigments, his hair is dyed with blue pigment.