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, 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, 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, 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.

Tibet, Green Tara (35)

12th-13th century, Tibet, Green Tara, brass, 22,9 cm, ‘Bri gung mthil monastery (Lhasa, Tibet), photo on Ulrich von Schroeder

Likely made by an Indian artist in Tibet, this Green Tara from the Drigung Thil monastery (founded in 1179) makes a gesture to ward off evil with her left hand (karana mudra).

14th-15th century, Tibet, Green Tara, gilt copper alloy, 10,3 cm, The Claude de Marteau Collection Part II lot 16, 4th October 2022, Bonhams (Paris).

This Nepalese-style work includes various rings on her left hand, which makes a gesture to bestow refuge (kartari mudra, fingers bent).

16th-17th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with turquoise inlay, 15,2 cm, Important Chinese Art lot 106, 23rd March 2022, Sotheby’s.

Her right hand always makes the gesture of supreme generosity.

Tibet, Green Tara (34)

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise and ruby, private collection, auction 9212 lot 93, 17th September 1999, Christie’s.

Reminiscent of works made by Sonam Gyaltsen & atelier, this richly decorated sculpture includes the use of turquoise for the lotuses on each side of Tara, one of them topped with a ruby (or spinel?) according to Christie’s.

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze, private collection, auction 1974 lot 613, 21st March 2008, Christie’s.

15th-16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with stones, private collection, auction 1409 lot 146, 23rd September 2004, Christie’s.

16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise and coral inlay, private collection, Arts d’Asie lot 307, 10th June 2014, Sotheby’s, Paris.

Green Tara with an effigy of Amitabha on her chignon, flanked by two open eight-petal lotuses, her dhoti and scarf decorated with a floral motif.

16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with stone inlay, private collection, Asian Art lot 123, 2nd November 2011, Koller

17th-18th century, Tibet, Tara, parcel-gilt bronze with blue pigment, private collection, photo on Christie’s, London

Seated on a lotus atop a lion throne on a Chinese-style legged stepped plinth with an elephant at the front, wearing a three-leaf crown with beaded festoons and side bows, her Chinese-style topknot adorned with a flaming jewel on a lotus.

Tibet, Green Tara (33)

15th-16th century (or earlier?), Tibet, Tara, bronze with copper inlay, private collection, photo on Christie’s, London

The sun disc and crescent moon on her chignon, the incised decoration, the design of the crown and of the lotus base all recall brass works with copper inlay produced in Tibet during the 13th and 14th century.

14th-15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with stone and glass, private collection, auction 796 lot 78, 23rd June 2021, Nagel.

Green Tara, seated with her left leg pendent, the foot supported by a large lotus attached to the base, making the gesture of supreme generosity with her right hand and the gesture of debate with the other.

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, private collection, Arts d’Asie lot 227, 12th December 2013, Sotheby’s, Paris.

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze (with turquoise inlay), private collection, auction 2551 lot 827, 21st March 2012, Christie’s.

With her left hand bestowing refuge (tip of ring finger on tip of thumb).

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with turquoise and coral inlay, private collection, auction A169AS lot 111, 6th May 2014, Koller Auktionen.

With her left hand bestowing patience (tip of middle finger on tip of thumb)

16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, private collection, Art d’Asie lot 134, 20th June 2017, Christie’s, Paris.

Circa 16th century, Tibet, Tara, parcel-gilt bronze with pigments, private collection, auction A199AS lot 113, 30th November 2021, Koller.

With her skin, crown, and jewellery painted with cold gold, her facial features and her hair painted with mineral pigments.

16th century, Tibet, Tara, bronze with stone inlay, private collection, Fine Asian Art lot 64, 7th December 2021, Nagel.

Tibet, Green Tara (32)

Circa 14th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with turquoise inlay and polychromy, private collection, Indian & Southeast Asian Art lot 103, 21st March 2002, Sotheby’s.

Adorned with a five-leaf crown, Nepalese-style jewellery including shin ornaments, a Chinese-style festooned necklace, Green Tara sits on a singular lotus base with narrow petals at the top and a thick edge at the bottom, her left foot resting on a lotus now missing. Her right hand makes the gesture of supreme generosity, the other holds the stem of a lotus and makes the gesture of debate/teaching (vitarka mudra). She wears a short tight-fitting dhoti incised with a floral pattern and a thin celestial scarf. Her tall Pala-style chignon is dyed with lapis lazuli powder and topped with a jewel.

15th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, private collection, Arts d’Asie lot 232, 12th December 2013, Christie’s, Paris.

16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, private collection, auction 796 lot 75, 23rd June 2021, Nagel.

16th century, Tibet, Tara, gilt copper alloy with cold gold and turquoise inlay, private collection, Asian Works of Art lot 1652, 2nd October 2012, Bonhams, San Francisco.

17th century, Tibet, Tara, bronze with cold gold and turquoise inlay, private collection, auction 1093 lot 1022, 18th June 2017, Lempertz.

Circa 18th century, Tibet, Tara, silver with stone and coral inlay, private collection, auction 2300 lot 236, 23rd March 2010, Christie’s.

Green Tara often makes the refuge-bestowal gesture with her left hand (tip of the ring finger on tip of the thumb).