13th-14th century, Nepal, Shakyamuni, gilt copper alloy, 23,7 cm, private collection, photo by Holly’s Auction on Lost Arts of Nepal
Circa 14th century, Khasa Malla Kingdom, Tara, gilt copper alloy with stone inlay, red paint on the base, 13,5 cm, private collection, Images of Devotion lot 1806, 1st December 2023, Bonhams (Hong Kong).
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
Late 18th century, Inner Mongolia, Dolonnor, Ushnishavijaya, parcel-gilt bronze repoussé, 36,5 cm, private collection, Art d’Asie lot 206, 14th June 2023, Christie’s (Paris).
Particularly popular in Mongolia, the three-head and eight-arm form of this long-life goddess always has a visvajra (either in one of her right hands – as would have been the case here – or in both main hands held in the gesture of meditation) and an effigy of Amitabha (usually held in the her upper right hand). The missing implements are likely to be a bow and an arrow in the middle hands, and a long-life vase in the lower left hand; the lower right one makes the gesture of supreme generosity, the upper left one makes the fear-allaying gesture.
Undated (circa 18th century), Mongolia, Dolonnor style, Ushnishavijaya, metal (gilt copper alloy with painted facial features), private collection, photo on HAR
Each head as a third eye, and the hair is pulled together and arranged in a double bun, as is traditional in the Dolonnor area.
17th-18th century, Mongolia, Ulaan Baatar, Sitatapatra, gilt bronze, photo by Daderot on wikimedia, exhibited at the Linden Museum in Stuttgart (Germany).
In her one-head and two-arm form Sitatapatra, whose name means ‘white parasol’, usually has a wheel in her right hand and a parasol in the other. She also has a third eye, and may have 3 heads and 6 to 10 arms, five heads and 10 arms, or a thousand heads and a thousand arms.
18th century, Inner Mongolia, Dolonnor style, White Tara, (parcel-gilt?) metal, private collection, photo on HAR
White Tara makes the gesture to bestow refuge with her left hand (tip of ring finger on tip of thumb) and extends her right hand in the gesture of generosity. She has a third eye on her forehead.
Undated (circa 18th century), Inner Mongolia, Dolonnor style, (White Tara), metal, private collection, photo by Hanai Auction on HAR
Undated (circa 18th century), Inner Mongolia, Dolonnor style, (White Tara), metal, private collection, photo on HAR
17th-18th century, Nepal, Tara, polychrome wood, 76 cm, private collection, published on Lost Arts of Nepal
17th century, Nepal, Tara, wood (with traces of polychromy), 19,75 cm, private collection, published on Lost Arts of Nepal
Circa 11th century, Nepal, Tara, copper with traces of gilding and stone inlay, 21 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 481 pl. 151C Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1106, Lhasa (Tibet).
We have seen similar statues of Tara standing on a double-lotus base, with her hair gathered in two large bunches and adorned with a single-leaf tiara, displaying a gem in her right hand and holding the stem of a water lily (missing here) in the other. In this case the gem is a piece of turquoise, her jewellery is inlaid with turquoise, and there is a ruby at the top of the flaming halo.
11th century or later, Nepal, Tara, copper with traces of gilding and stone inlay (missing), 20.5 cm, photo as before (p. 481 pl. 151F), Potala Collection, Bla ma lha khang inventory nº 1055, Lhasa (Tibet).
11th century or later, Nepal, Tara, copper with traces of gilding and stone inlay, 20,7 cm, photo as before (p. 481 pl. 151E?, Potala Collection, Bla ma lha khang inventory nº 1054, Lhasa (Tibet).
Undated (Transitional Period), Nepal, Tara, gilt copper or copper alloy, photo by Sunil Dongol, at the Dharmadeva Caitya, Chabahil, Kathmandu (Nepal).
14th century, Nepal, Sitatara, gilt copper alloy, 19 cm, part of a triad, private collection, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art lot 102, 12th June 2023, Bonhams (Paris).
Undated (18th century or later?), Nepal, Kathmandu, Svayambhu, Tara, stone, photo by Schick Jürgen, 1985.
Undated, Nepal, Kathmandu, Svayambhu, Tara, stone, 43 cm, photo by Sunil Dongol, 2014.
17th century, Nepal, Ushnishavijaya, gilt cop., 12 cm, 24th May 2023 lot 461, Woolley & Wallis
1448 AD, Nepal, Prajnaparamita, gilt copper alloy with turquoise inlay, 17 cm, private collection, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art lot 106, 12th June 2023, Bonhams (Paris).
A singular image of the goddess of transcendent wisdom, a bodhisattva and mother of all buddhas. When depicted in her four-arm form, if she holds a rosary and a manuscript in her upper hands the other two normally make the ‘turning the wheel of dharma‘ gesture, or the lower right hand is held down in the gesture of generostiy and the left one holds a bowl. In this case, however, she holds a lotus bud in her cupped hands (see close up on HAR ), as indicated by Jing Wen from Bonhams, who also draws our attention to the headdress, a Malla-style helmet topped with a half-vajra finial (see reverse on HAR) such as we have seen on quite a few Nepalese sculptures of Vajradhara, Vajrasattva, and Manjushri.
12th century, Nepal, Vasudhara, gilt copper, registration nº 1971,0925.1, at the British Museum in London (UK).
This remarkable work depicts Vasudhara in her most common form, seated on a lion throne covered with a cloth. Her dhoti and the sash across her breast are decorated with a stippled lotus pattern. Her cushion is incised with a larger floral design. She holds a bunch of jewels in her middle right hand, a manuscript, a sheaf of grain, a vase of longevity in her left hands.
15th century, Nepal, Tara (?), gilt copper repoussé with stone inlay, 34 cm, private collection, auction as before, photo on Bonhams . Labelled ‘unidentified’ on HAR.
If this is Tara, then the photo is the other way round. Green Tara sits with her right leg pendent and it is with her right hand that she makes the gesture of generosity and displays a gem; her left hand usually holds a lily and may make the gesture of debate.
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.
14th century, Khasa Malla, Shakyamuni, gilt copper, 13 cm, private collection, published on Lost Arts of Nepal
This buddha has delineated finger joints on the outer part of the hand, a feature unique to works from the Khasa Malla Kingdom in Western Nepal/Western Tibet, although not all figures have it. The hem of his garment is decorated with a large rice-grain pattern and some folds of fabric are arranged close to the hem – rather than resting over the left shoulder.
13th century, Khasa Malla Kingdom, Buddha Shakyamuni, gilt copper, 50 cm, from the collection of Zhiguan Museum (of Fine Arts) in Beijing (China), published on Lost Arts of Nepal
Quite a different style, with thick limbs and broad shoulders, his tear-shaped urna inlaid with turquoise. The big toe on his right foot is well apart from the rest, as on other large Khasa Malla buddhas seen in previous posts (for instance, on Rubin Museum of Art and Christie’s, the latter with a Lot Essay at the end of the page.
14th century, Khasa Malla Kingdom, Tara, gilt copper, 13,5 cm, private collection, posted on Lost Arts of Nepal
Green Tara, with a low forehead and a very large turquoise urna (set slightly off-centre), adorned with a singular crown and jewellery. Many Khasa Malla lotus seats have no beading at the bottom, or they have large beading at the the bottom and none at the top, this one has no beading at all. There is probably some red paint at the back.
11th century, North(eastern) India, Vajra Tara, metal (brass), private collection, photo on HAR
11th-12th century, Northeastern India, Vajra-Tara, stone, 12,5 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 390 pl. 126A Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1567, Lhasa (Tibet).
Also known as Vajritara, this form of Tara has one or four heads (each with three eyes) and four or eight arms. She usually holds a conch shell in her lower right hand extended in the gesture of generosity, a noose, an arrow, a vajra sceptre in the remaining ones; her main left hand makes a threatening gesture (tarjani mudra) and may hold a lasso, the others hold a hook (elephant goad), a bow, a lily.
Circa 12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Ashtamahabhaya Tara, stone, 11,6 cm, photo as before (p. 393 pl. 127C) Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1634, Lhasa (Tibet).
As explained by the author, ‘Tara who Saves from the Eight Great Perils’ is surrounded by eight images of herself in the act of saving devotees from the eight great perils: a lion, an elephant, fire, a snake, robbers, prison, water, and a demon. She may be an aspect of White Tara or Green Tara. Her right hand is in the gesture of supreme generosity, the other clutches the stem of a blue lily. The above is seated with a leg pendent, atop a lotus seat supported by two small nagas (depicted with a human body and a naga hood). We can see the five directional buddhas above her head.
Circa 12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Ashtamahabhaya Tara, stone, 17,5 cm, photo as before (p. 393 pl. 127B), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1668, Lhasa (Tibet).
This one has the five tathagatas plus two monks above her head, and a number of unidentified figures under her seat. Mr von Schroeder tells us that the small female attendant near her left elbow is Ekajata (a dharmapala and the mother of Mahakala and Palden Lhamo).
Circa 12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Ashtamahabhaya Tara, stone, 14,5 cm, photo as before (p. 392 pl. 127A), Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1579, Lhasa (Tibet).
A more complex distribution with more attendants, whom the author identifies as Marichi, Mahamayuri, and Janguli, two forms of Mahakala, and quite a few unidentified figures including various couples.
12th century, Indian work for Tibetans, Tibetan Teacher with his lineage, stone, 12,8 cm, photo: courtesy of Ulrich von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet Volume One, Visual Dharma Publications, Hong Kong, p. 383 pl. 122 D, Potala Collection, Lima Lhakhang inventory nº 1552, Lhasa (Tibet).
The central figure is surrounded by (going clockwise from the bottom left corner) Mahakala in his four-arm form, two Indian teachers (mahasiddhas), buddha Vajrasattva, a Tibetan monk, a third mahasiddha, another two Tibetan monks, and a standing female deity, possibly Tara.
Early 12th century, India, Portrait of a Lama and his Lineage, mudstone with polychromy and (cold) gold, inventory nº 992.45.A at the Phoenix Museum (USA).
A simpler version, without Mahakala or the female deity.
Himalayan Buddhist Art - Art Bouddhiste de l'Himalaya 
