A gilt bronze figure of Padmasambhava, Tibet, circa 16th century, cast seated in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus pedestal, the left hand supporting a kapala, his right arm raised wielding a vajra, wearing a cloak incised with lotus scrolls, the face with a stern expression flanked by pendulous earrings, all surmounted by a monk's cap. 17.5 cm high. This figure depicts the legendary Indian pandita Padmasambhava, known as Guru Rinpoche to Tibetans. Padmasambhava is recognisable by the iconic peaked Indian cap of a pandita, surmounted with feathers and adorned with a sun and moon, as well as his furrowed brow and the wide, almond-shaped eyes which set him apart as a foreigner. He is depicted holding a vajra in his raised right hand and a kapala in the left hand. His ears are adorned with disk-shaped earrings with a foliate motif, and he wears richly embroidered inner and outer patchwork robes, and pointed Tibetan-style boots. Known by many different names which reflect his multiple forms, Padmasambhava is credited with establishing Buddhism in Tibet. In the eighth century, the Indian abbot Shantarakshita and the Tibetan ch?gyal or dharma king Trisong Detsen invited the tantrika Padmasambhava to make the arduous journey to Tibet. Along the way, he encountered and subdued the many local spirits, gods and goddesses and bound them by oath as sworn protectors and protectresses of Buddhism in Tibet. Upon his arrival in Tibet, Padmasambhava subdued the local spirits hindering the construction of Tibet's first monastery, Samye. Compare a circa 15th century Padmasambhava formerly in the Blanche C. Olschak Collection, see Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p. 449, pl. 122C. See also a larger figure of Padmasambhava sold Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 1 December 2017, lot 449.
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- Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
- Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
- Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.
The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.
It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
- Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
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