A ZANABAZAR GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF BHAISAJYAGURU
Mongolia, Zanabazar School, early 18th century. The Medicine Buddha is seated in vajrasana on a double-lotus base adorned with bead borders, clad in a sanghati with a floral hem, the folds elegantly draped over the shoulder. Note the extremely fine incision work overall, the heavy casting and the superb fire-gilding.

Provenance: From a private estate in southern United Kingdom.
Condition: Excellent condition with some wear to gilding and traces of use. Minor nicks here and there. Remnants of blue, red and white pigments.

Weight: 4.6 kilograms
Dimensions: Height 27.7 cm

One hand holds a myrobalan fruit, the other an alms bowl. The face shows heavy-lidded fish-shaped eyes and is centered by a raised urna, the hair is in tight curls over the prominent ushnisha topped by a knob. The underside is sealed with a copper plate.

The Imperial art school founded by Zanabazar (1635-1723), religious leader, artist, and master craftsman, produced some of the finest bronzes in the history of Mongolian art. Characterized by richly gilt surfaces overall, finely modeled and smoothly sloping contours with embellishments limited to borders, full figures standing or seated on an elevated double-lotus bases
and a minimalist aesthetic that endows the figures with a sense of stability, Zanabazar bronze sculptures exhibit a cohesive style testament to the vision of the great leader. Subjects span the full Buddhist pantheon.

Literature comparison: For related Zanabazar Buddha sculptures see Anna Maria and Fabio Rossi, Treasures from Mongolia, 2004, lots 2, 3 and 4. For another related sculpture see Spink and Son, Body, Speech, and Mind: Buddhist Art from Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia and China, 1998, cat. no. 14.

Auction result comparison: Compare with a related Zanabazar Bhaisajyaguru at Christies Paris on June 13th, 2013, in Art d’Asie, lot 292.

儸桑丹貝堅派銅鎏金藥師佛像
蒙古，儸桑丹貝堅派，十八世紀早期。藥師佛結跏趺坐于雙層蓮座上，身披袒右肩袈裟，製作精細，鎏金極其精美。

來源：英國南部一個私人遺產
品相：極好品相，鎏金一些磨損和使用痕跡。局部有刻痕，殘留藍色紅色和白色顔料。

重量：4.6 公斤
尺寸：高27.7 厘米