Tibet, Green Tara (40)

14th century, Tibet, Tara, bronze with copper and stone inlay, cold gold, pigments, 12,5 cm, private collection, auction M0009, The Art of the Himalayas lot 43, 16th December 2021, Pundole’s

14th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with stone inlay and pigment, 10,2 cm, private collection, auction M0009 as before, lot 39.

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with stone inlay, cold gold, pigment, 14 cm, as above, lot 37.

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with stone inlay, cold gold, pigments, 13,3 cm, as above, lot 52.

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze, 21 cm, private collection, Arts of Asia Online lot 18, 28th September 2023, Christie’s

15th-16th century, Tibet or Nepal, Green Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, 9,5 cm, private collection, Indian and Himalayan Art lot 846, 21st march 2024, Sotheby’s

Tibet, White Tara (18)

Circa 14th century, Tibet, Nepalese schools, Tara, gilt copper, 17 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 967 pl. 233D, at the Shalu monastery (Tibet).

16th century, Tibet, Tsang province atelier, White Tara, metal (brass), private collection, photo on HAR

15th-17th century, Tibet, Tara, jade, 11 cm, private collection, Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art lot 212, 2nd October 2017, China Guardian (Hong Kong).

17th century, Tibet, White Tara, bronze, 7 cm, photo on HAR, inventory nº Vp 3093 at the National Gallery in Prague (Czech Republic).

18th-19th century, Tibet, White Tara of the Seven Eyes, gilt copper alloy with stone inlay, cold gold, pigments, size not given, photo on wisdomlib, at the Patan Museum (Nepal).

Tibet, Green Tara (39)

Circa 14th century, Tibet, Nepalese schools, Tara, copper with traces of gilding, turquoise, lapis lazuli, rock crystal, on a gilt copper repoussé base, 29,5 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 966 pl. 233A, at the sMin grol gling (Mindroling) monastery (Tibet).

Green Tara holding a small round object in her right hand and making the gesture to bestow refuge (tip of ring finger on tip of thumb) with the other. A flower was once attached to her left elbow.

Circa 15th century, Tibet, Nepalese schools, Tara, gilt copper, 49 cm, photo as before (p. 967 pl. 233B), at the Shalu monastery (Tibet).

With her right hand in the boon-granting gesture and the other making the gesture of debate.

Circa 15th-16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with stones, 9,5 cm, private collection, Fine Asian Works of Art lot 320, 17th December 2018, Bonhams (San Francisco).

16th century, Tibet, Tara, copper alloy, size not given, photo 36 on wisdomlib, at the Patan Museum (Nepal).

18th century, Tibet, Tara, copper alloy, size not given, photo on wisdomlib, at the Patan Museum (Nepal).

Seated on a double-lotus base decorated with an elephant next to the flower that supports her right foot.

18th century (Tibet?), Tara, bronze (with remains of gilding), 10 cm, Northern Himalayan Section photo 40, on wisdomlib, at the National Museum of Nepal.

Although labelled ‘Saptalochani Tara’ (Sitatara/White Tara), this is Green Tara, who has a green body on paintings and always sits with a leg pendant.

18th century (Tibet?), Arya Tara, bronze (with remains of gilding), 19 cm, Northern Himalayan Section photo 41, on wisdomlib, at the National Museum of Nepal.

Arya Tara is the name given to Syamatara/Green Tara in Nepal.

Tibet, Green Tara (38)

14th-15th century, Tibet, Green Tara, gilt copper alloy with cold gold and pigment, 8,5 cm, private collection, Asian Art A207AS lot 104, 28th November 2023, Koller

14th-15th century, Tibet, Syamatara, bronze, 12 cm, Auction 814 lot 131, 12th June 2023, Nagel

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with turquoise, 11,8 cm, as before, lot 140, Nagel

Late 15th century, Tibet, Syamatara, bronze, 10 cm, private collection, Auction 809 lot 115, 7th July 2022, Nagel.

16th century, Tibet, Tara, bronze, 15,6 cm, private collection, Auction 819 lot 36, 7th December 2023, Nagel

Circa 17th century, Tibet, Green Tara, copper alloy with cold gold, 12,5 cm, private collection, Asian Art 207AS lot 109, 28th November 2023, Koller

Tibet, White Tara (17)

1250-1350 AD, Tibet, Sita Tara, The White Tara, brass with silver and gold inlay, 15,2 cm, inventory nº ABS 369 at the Tibet Museum – Fondation Alain Bordier in Gruyères (Switzerland).

Seated on a peacock throne, White Tara extends her right hand in the gesture of generosity, displaying an eye engraved in her palm – which identifies her as ‘Tara of the Seven Eyes’ (three eyes on her face, one on the palm of each hand and one on the sole of each foot). Her left hand makes the gesture to bestow refuge (tip of ring finger on tip of thumb).

14th-15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, 11,8 cm, private collection, Auction 814 lot 134, 12th June 2023, Nagel

In this case the left hand makes the gesture of debate/discussion.

15th century, Tibet, White Tara, silver with turquoise inlay on a gilt copper base, traces of cold gold, 10,5 cm, Arts d’Asie lot 168, 15th June 2023, Sotheby’s (Paris).

Circa 15th century, Tibet, Sitatara, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, 16 cm, Auction 819 lot 29, 7th December 2023, Nagel

Circa 17th century or earlier, Tibet, Tara, copper alloy, 11 cm, Arts d’Asie as before, lot 176, Sotheby’s

Tibet, Green Tara (37)

15th century, Tibet, Syamatara, gilt bronze, 10,5 cm, private collection, Fine Asian Art lot 11b, 6th December 2022, Nagel.

Green Tara holding the stem of a blue lily in her left hand and an open lotus in the other, which is held palm out in the gesture of supreme generosity.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Syamatara, gilt copper alloy with turquoise inlay, 22 cm, Himalayan and Indian Art Online, lot 817, 11th December 2022, Bonhams (Paris).

Circa 17th century, Tibet, Syamatara, bronze, 10,8 cm, Art d’Asie lot 196, 14th June 2023, Christie’s (Paris).

17th-18th century, Tibet, Green Tara, carved and painted wood, 22 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 1007, 7th November 2003, Nagel.

17th-18th century, Tibet, Green Tara, carved zitan (red sandalwood), 9 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 810, 7th June 2005, Nagel.

18th century, Tibet, Tara, brass, 13 cm, inventory nº 1905,0519.8 at the British Museum in London (UK).

It is unusual for the blue lily to be in her right hand. There is a similar flower under her right foot. The left hand makes the gesture to bestow refuge.

Tibet, Green Tara (36)

14th century or later, Tibet, Shayamatara, bronze (with remains of gilding and stone inlay, mainly missing), 24,2 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 60, 9th December 2022, Lempertz.

A rare sculpture of Green Tara (with a green body on paintings) with an effigy of buddha Amitabha on top of her head. She is seated on a double lotus base with her right foot resting on a blue water lily that stems from the plinth, and she holds the stem of another blue lily in her left hand, which is in the gesture of debate/teaching (unusual for this deity). Her right hand displays the gesture of supreme generosity.

14th-15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with turquoise, lapis lazuli, and crystal inlay, 17,5 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 203, 29th November 2022, Koller.

Occasionally this form of Tara, always seated with a leg pendent, makes the fear-allaying gesture with her right hand. She normally has the tip of her ring finger and her middle finger pressing the tip of her thumb, or just the tip of the ring finger as above and below (a gesture to bestow refuge).

16th century, Tibet, Tara, bronze, 9,8 cm, private collection, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art lot 333, 22nd March 2023, Christie’s.

17th century, Tibet, Tara, copper alloy, from a photo by Shadow Ayush on wikimedia, inventory nº 250 at the Patan Museum (Nepal).

17th-18th century, Tibet, Syamatara, bronze with cold gold and pigment, 17,8 cm, private collection, Asian Art lot 68, 11th June 2022, Lempertz.

On this late Pala revival the left hand is not making a symbolical gesture.

Tibet, Tara of the seven eyes

White Tara always sits with her legs locked and she usually has a third eye on her forehead, placed vertically. On most sculptures she also has an eye incised in the palm of her hands and the sole of her feet, hence her name ‘Tara of the Seven Eyes’.

18th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze (with turquoise inlay), 20,5 cm, private collection, Auction 1203 lot 67, 11th June 2022, Lempertz.

Her right hand may be raised in the fear-allaying gesture, or held down in the gesture of generosity as above. The left hand holds the stem of an lily (usually open, but we have come across other examples of her holding a closed/blue lily) and makes the gesture of debate, as above, or the tip of the thumb touches the tip of the forefinger (kartari mudra) – although we saw a few making the gesture to ward off evil (tip of the thumb against tip of forefinger and middle finger).

White Tara (16)

Unlabelled (15th century, Tibet, Tara, painted clay on a wooden armature) photo on Active Planet Travels , at the Kumbum in Gyantse (Tibet).

Tara may have a yellow body on paintings but she would sit with the right leg pendent. The above has her legs locked in the vajra position, and she has a third eye, like White Tara. In fact she is identified as Sita Tara (White Tara) by Ulrich von Schroeder in Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Volume Two, p.873. Her right hand makes the gesture of supreme generosity, the other makes a gesture to ward off evil (karana mudra) and holds the stem of an open lily. She is accompanied by four female figures and is surrounded by a flaming halo and a floral arch with a triple gem at the top.

Unlabelled (15th century, Tibet, Tara?, painted clay on a wooden armature), photo by John Hill on wikimedia , at the Kumbum in Gyantse (Tibet).

Her left hand more commonly makes the gesture of debate (vitarka mudra).

Circa 14th century, Tibet, Tara, brass (with silver inlay now missing from the eyes), 15,5 cm, The Triay Collection of Himalayan Art lot 136, 15th December 2022,  Bonhams (Paris).

This Pala-style figure is described as Green Tara on the above link, and the blue lily in her left hand normally corresponds to Green Tara, but the latter always sits with the right leg pendent. The position of the right hand, slightly tilted, is unusual. There is a pearl between her left thumb and forefinger.

Tibet, Green Tara (36)

15th century, Tibet, Tara, painted clay on a wooden armature, photo on Active Planet Travels , at the Kumbum in Gyantse (Tibet).

Green Tara always sits with the right leg pendent, her foot placed on a lotus rising from the base, holding the stem of a blue lily (missing here) in her left hand. In Tibet, the right hand usually makes the gesture of supreme generosity. The above is flanked by a couple of four-arm attendants.

13th-14th century, Tibet, Tara, brass with silver and copper inlay, 16,1 cm, inventory nº 69.13.3 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (USA).

Clearly made by an Indian artist, this Pala-style image depicts her with a round object in the right hand, probably a gem. She wears a long tight-fitting garment decorated with a floral print, a thin scarf across her chest and over her left shoulder, princely jewellery including large hoops, a festooned hair ornament, a jewel finial.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with stone inlay, 10,5 cm, private collection, Art d’Asie lot 85, 6th July 2022, Christie’s (Paris).

16th century, Tara, Tibet, bronze with silver and copper inlaid eyes, 16 cm, Art d’Asie lot 180, 16th December 2022, Christie’s (Paris).

17th century, Tibet, Tara, brass with cold gold and pigment, 20 cm, made by Choying Dorje, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder (Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 817 pl. 193A), Potala Collection, inventory nº 1445, Sa gsum lha khang, Lhasa (Tibet).

The tenth karmapa made various sculptures of Avalokiteshvara and Tara with a Swat Valley style lotus base, a backplate decorated with large flowers and topped with foliage and peacock hens, adorned with huge floral earrings and beaded jewellery with bells, their hair gathered in a bunch folded on the left, an effigy of Amitabha on their head, no crown.  

17th century, Tibet, Tara, brass with cold gold and pigment, 20,1 cm, made by Choying Dorje, photo as before (p. 817 pl. 193C), at the Mindrolling monastery (Tibet).

A similar image, with a finely pleated dhoti, thicker beading at the top of the lotus seat, and the fingers of the right hand in a slightly different position.