Tibet, Ratnasambhava (13)

1150-1250 AD, Tibet, Crowned Ratnasambhava, brass, 106 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1166 pl. 310A, at the Sgrol ma lha khang, Snye thang (Tibet).

In the previous post we saw Amoghasiddhi from the same set of buddhas in their sambhogakaya appearance kept at the Nyethang monastery. Ratnasambhava holds his right hand in the gesture of generosity to display a gem.

Circa 1300 AD, Tibet, Crowned Ratnasambhava, brass with turquoise and coral inlay, 42 cm, photo as before, p. 1177 pl. 315CE, on the top floor at the Shalu monastery (Tibet).

17th-18th century, Tibet, Buddha Ratnasambhava, gilt bronze, 24,8 cm, private collection, Fine Chinese Art lot 665, 13th October 2023, Galerie Zacke

Ratnasambhava in his buddha appearance, with a vajra sceptre placed before him on the lotus base (compare with an earlier one on Sotheby’s ).

 

Tibet, Amitayus (31)

Any of the five direction buddhas (tathagatas) may be depicted with a buddha appearance or with a bodhisattva appearance (sambhogakaya form) but Amitabha is the only one whose crowned form has a different name (Amitayus) and normally has a different attribute (a vase of longevity instead of a bowl). It is interesting to note that in ‘The Gods of Northern Buddhism’ Alice Getty says that the Tibetans never confuse Amitayus with Amitabha.

1150-1250 AD, Tibet, Crowned Amitabha, brass, 118 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, p. 1167 pl. 310, at the Sgrol ma lha khang of the sNye thang monastery, (Tibet).

Part of a set of tathagatas kept at the Nyethang monastery.

Circa 1300 AD, Tibet, Crowned Amitabha, brass with turquoise and coral inlay, 42 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1177 pl. 315D, on the top floor of the Zhwa lu Gser khang (Tibet).

Part of a set of tathagatas kept at the Shalu monastery, all of them with Kirtimukha at the front of their crown.

13th-14th century, Tibet, Amitabha, bronze with silver-inlaid eyes and copper-inlaid lips, 31,8 cm, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art lot 510, 20th March 2024, Christie’s.

Circa 16th century, Tibet, Amitayus, copper alloy with cold gold and stone inlay, 22,5 cm, private collection, Arts d’Asie lot 105, 12th June 2021, Cornette de Saint-Cyr on aaoarts

18th century or earlier, Tibet, Amitayus, polychrome clay, 12 cm, tsa-tsa, private collection, Asian Art A163AS lot 134, Koller

18th century, Tibet, Amitayus, loam with dye (polychrome clay), 9,8 cm, object nº AK-MAK-198 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

Tibet, famous lamas (40)

Undated (15th century?), Tibet, (painted clay or wood?), Khenchen Jangchug Pelzango, Sakya Sribhadra, Jamyang Rinchen Gyaltsen, with recently replaced hands, photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011 on virginia.edu, in the shrine dedicated to the masters of the Second Diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet, at the Pelkhor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

From left to right, (Zulpu) Khenchen Jangchub Pelzangpo, a 14th century Tibetan master, Sakya Shribhadra, a 12th century Kashmiri scholar (see both on Treasury of Lives ) whose left hand originally displayed the gesture of debate (vitarka mudra), Jamyang Rinchen Gyaltsen, a 13th century Sakya master (see on wikipedia).

Undated (15th century?), Tibet, Choki Rinchen, Gyalse Thokme, Gangchen Khepe Wangpo Kungapel, (painted clay or wood?), photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011 on virginia.edu, Sempa Shrine in the Gyantse Kumbum Stupa, at the Pelkhor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

Circa 16th-17th century, Tibet, Dpal ldan tshul khrims (Palden Tsultrim), brass, 16,8 cm, object nº AK-MAK-1510 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

18th century, Tibet, Dpal ldan tshul khrims (Palden Sultrim), bronze, 19 cm, object nº AK-MAK-307 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

We saw a group of six Sakya Lamdre lineage masters including this lama on Bonhams . These two sculptures depict him with his right hand in the gesture of debate and the left hand in meditation, with a vase of longevity in the second case (possibly missing from the first one).

16th century, Tibet, probably Rin chen phun tshogs, gilt copper with cold gold and pigment, 27,5 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1075 pl. 277C, at the Gser khang lha khang, Bri gung mthil (Drigung Thil) monastery (Tibet).

Rinchen Phuntsog was an important Drikung/Drigung teacher who lived during the 16th century (see drikung.org). He was a layman, hence the long-sleeve outer garment tied with a belt (note the elegant knot).

18th century, Tibet, sMin gling gter chen ‘Gyur med rdo rje (Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje), gilt copper, 10 cm, photo as before, p. 1082 pl. 281A, at the sMin grol gling (Mindroling) monastery (Tibet).

The author explains that according to an inscription at the back of the base, the founder of the Mindroling monastery is shown here at the age of 67. He holds a  long-life vase in his left hand.

Tibet, snow lions (8)

Circa 17th century, Tibet, snow lion, gilt wood with traces of polychromy, 11 cm high, Arts d’Asie lot 99, 12th June 2021, Cornette de Saint-Cyr on aaoarts

Circa 17th-18th century, Tibet, snow lion plaques, gilt copper alloy, 25,5 cm, private collection, Cornette as before, lots 130 and 131.

Circa 18th century, Tibet, snow lion, gilt copper alloy, 8 cm, private collection, as before, lot 134.

Circa 18th-19th century, Tibet, snow lion, polychrome wood, 7,5 cm, private collection, Cornette as before, lots 135 and 136.

Nepal, Avalokiteshvara (15)

Circa 900 AD, Nepal, Avalokiteshvara, gilt bronze, 62,9 cm,
accession nº 1962.445 at the Cincinnati Art Museum (USA).

This handsome figure wears an impressive crown with an effigy of Amitabha at the front and a small red stone below. Compare with a 10th century Nepalese Avalokiteshvara seen on Bonhams.

15th century (or later?), Nepal, Avalokiteshvara, copper alloy with silver-inlaid eyes and pigments, 32,8 cm, Accession nº AS16-1975 at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne (Australia).

A Pala revival of Avalokiteshvara in his khasarpana form, seated with the right leg pendent and the right hand in the boon-granting gesture, his left hand clutching the stem of a lotus flower that blossoms over his shoulder. His pile of matted locks is topped with a jewel finial that matches his discreet tiara.

18th century, Nepal, Avalokiteshvara, wood, 89 cm, private collection, photo on Lost Arts of Nepal

Tibet, various female deities (11)

Undated (15th century?), Tibet, Özerchenma enshrined in a stupa, polychrome wood, size not given, photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011, on virginia.edu, at the Palkhor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

Özer Chenma is the Tibetan name for Marichi, the goddess of dawn and mercy. When not seated sideways on a wild boar, the two-arm form usually holds some thread and a needle.

15th century, Tibet, Gyeltsen Tsemo,  restored and repainted (clay on a wooden armature?), photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011, on Virginia.edu, at the Gyeltsen Tsemo Shrine in the Palkhor Chode monastic complex, Gyantse (Tibet).

Known as Dhvajagrakeyura in Sanskrit, this meditational deity has the appearance of a yakshi with three or four heads and four to eight arms, clad in a tiger skin loin cloth and adorned with wrathful ornaments. The four-arm form holds a lasso and a sword in her right hands, a wheel and a ritual staff in the others. See more on wisdomlib

18th-19th century, Tibet, Ushnisha Sitatapatra, gilt copper alloy with cold gold and pigment, collection of the Ga-te studio, on exhibition at the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.

Sitatapatra with a 1000 heads (each with three eyes) 1000 arms, and 1000 feet, holding a dharma wheel in her main right hand and a parasol in the other. She stands on demons on one side and animals and deities on the other.

Mongolia, Budai

Circa 18th century, Mongolia, Budai, brass, 19 cm, private collection, photo on Michael Backman

Often mistaken for a buddha (and nicknamed ‘The Happy Buddha’), Budai was a 10th century Zen master from China. Because of the bare chest and large belly, Hvashang, the patron of the arhats, is often confused with him (yet Hvashang holds different attributes and is always surrounded with children). One of these two sculptures depicts Budai with a thin object in his right hand and a rosary in the other, no moustache, and a flat cap. On the other, the implements are in reverse order, he has a thin moustache, and he wears a lotus hap topped with a lotus bud and decorated with a triple gem at the front.

Tibet, Dalai Lamas (6)

17th century, Tibet, seated monk, silver on a gilt copper base, 10,5 cm, inventory nº AK-MAK 1511 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

This hierarch is depicted in the same way as Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso, the fifth dalai lama, who often has the top part of a phur.bu sticking out of his multiple layers of clothes. We saw a few examples, including a fairly similar work on HAR .

17th-18th century, Tibet, the 5th dalai lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, gilt bronze repoussé, 52,1 cm, private collection, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art lot 523, 20th March 2024, Christie’s

Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso with a thin moustache and a strangely vacant gaze, his ears pierced as if he wore earrings now lost. Compare with another, with painted eyes, seen on State Hermitage Museum

17th century, Tibet, Blo bzang rgya mtsho, The Fifth Dalai Lama, gilt copper, 17,4 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume Two, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 1081 pl. 280E, at the Palkhor Chode monastic complex in Gyantse (Tibet).

This sculpture looks like another portrait of an elderly 5th dalai lama wearing a hat and making  the gesture of debate seen on Himalayan Art Resources. The above holds a bowl in his left hand instead of a manuscript.

18th century, Tibet, the 7th dalai lama, Kelsang Gyatso, gilt copper alloy, 11,4 cm, private collection, photo on Michael Backman

Tibet, various Indian masters (18)

16th century, Tibet, Virupa, bronze with pigment, 10,1 cm, private collection, Purity and Enlightenment lot 8, 3rd October 2023, Hollywood Galleries

Seated in the royal ease position on a tiger or leopard skin, his raised knee held in place with a meditation strap, his hair gathered in a prominent topknot, Virupa points towards the Sun with his right hand and holds a skull cup in the other. He is adorned with spiral-shaped bone earrings, a necklace, bracelets, and a cross-belt.

Early 18th century, Tibet, Virupa, gilt bronze, 13,7 cm, private collection, Auction 819 China 1, lot 56, Nagel

This work depicts him with the left hand pointing towards the sun and the other holding a skull cup. He is seated on an antelope skin (see more pictures on the above link) atop an unusual double-lotus base, dressed in a long dhoti and a silk shawl, adorned with a floral tiara, some jewellery, and a cross-belt with a large flower at the front (the flowers worn by mahasiddhas are an anti-caste symbol). Part of his hair is gathered in a Chinese-style top knot and the rest cascades over his shoulders.

15th century, Tibet, Padampa Sangye, painted clay (on a wooden armature), size not given, photo by Dudul Dorjay, 2011, on virginia.edu, at the Shije shrine in the Kumbum, Gyantse (Tibet).

Also known as Dampa Sangye, Kamalasila, Black Acarya, Little Black Indian, Mipan Gonpo, Dampa Gyagar, he is depicted here in the ‘pacification posture’, with his knees raised and his hands making the gesture of debate at heart level.

16th century, Tibet, Mahasiddha Tilopa, bronze, 5,6 cm, Nyingjei Lam Collection, photo on Myriad Forms, Hollywood Galleries

Tilopa usually has a fish in one hand and sometimes a skull cup in the other.

Tibet, Hayagriva (5)

18th century, Tibet, Hayagriva, gilt bronze with pigment, 12,7 cm, private collection, Auction M0009, The Art of the Himalayas lot 83, Pundole’s

The dharmapala Hayagriva is identified by the neighing horse’s head at the top of his flaming hair. On paintings he has a red or a black body. The position of his right hand suggests that this is the black form, who wields a sword in his right hand and has a hook in the other. He stands on two victims (who represent enemies and hindrance), adorned with snakes, a five-skull crown, a garland of severed heads.

Apart from the usual tiger skin loin cloth worn by wrathful deities, he has the hide of an elephant and a flayed human skin over his back.

18th century, Tibet (or Nepal?), Hayagriva, wood with paint, 35 cm, private collection, Auction 18 lot 27, 30th September 2023, Hardt

Red Hayagriva in his two-arm form, brandishing a club in his right hand and a lotus in the other, which corresponds to the Nepalese iconography (we saw a similar Vajravarahi from a monastry in Mustang, Nepal, on Theodore Bruce ). There is a horse’s head on his own and he has the wings of an heruka.