A MASTERFULLY CARVED HARDWOOD FIGURE OF A BUDDHIST PRIEST, SCHOOL OF CHOYING DORJE Tibet, late 17^th to 18^th century. Boldly carved, the priest seated on a square base elaborately decorated with foliate designs in high relief below floral diaper, wearing a jacket tied at the waist, the sleeves deeply incised with folds, and a skirt with line and diaper decorations. He is adorned with prayer beads in a unique manner, with one around each ear, wrist, and shoulder.

Provenance: A noted Hungarian private collector. Lempertz, Cologne, 11 December 2021, lot 39, bought-in at an estimate of EUR 30,000 and described as a “dignitary in the style of the Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje” dated 18^th-19^th century.
Condition: Very good condition with some old wear, expected age cracks, few small nicks and losses, occasional light scratches. The wood with a superb, naturally grown patina and a soft polish resulting in an unctuous feel overall.

Weight: 718.0 g
Dimensions: Height 21.5 cm

His face with an intense meditative expression marked by almond-shaped eyes with double-incised pupils below furrowed ridged brows. The finely incised hair pulled up into a low chignon, the hairstyle reminiscent of a lotus bud.

Choying Dorje (1604-1674), the Tenth Karmapa, was head of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism and well known as an artist in the mediums of painting, metal casting, and carving. An eccentric figure within the history of Tibetan art, the Tenth Karmapa possessed a highly individual style, looking to a range of traditions for inspiration, including ancient metalwork from Kashmir and Swat. The present figure clearly shows his influence in the plasticity of the prayer beads, the deeply incised sleeve folds and line decorations to the skirt, and the unusual hairstyle.

Several rhinoceros horn figural carvings by Choying Dorje are documented, including a Tara which he presented to the Tsang Khenchen, see I. Mengele, 'The Artist's Life' in The Black Hat Eccentric, Artistic Visions of the Tenth Karmapa, New York, 2013, pp. 33-63. The 10th Karmapa is also said to have carved the representation of the five first patriarchs of the Kagyu lineage in rhinoceros horn, see Lama Kunsang, et al, History of the Karmapas: The Odyssey of the Tibetan Masters with the Black Crown, Boulder, Colorado, 2012, page 148.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related ivory figure of Avalokiteshvara, attributed to Choying Dorje, with beaded jewelry that is similar to the present figure's prominent prayer beads, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1972.123. Compare a related brass figure of Green Tara, attributed to Choying Dorje, with beaded and floral designs that are similar to the present figure's prominent prayer beads, in the collection of the Rubin Museum of Art, object number C2005.16.3a-b.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 15 March 2017, lot 222
Price: USD 137,500 or approx. EUR 163,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze portrait of a Karmapa, Tibet, School of Choying Dorje, 17^th century or later
Expert remark: Compare the beaded decorations to the base and mandorla, which are similar to the prominent prayer beads of the present figure

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 15 March 2017, lot 223
Price: USD 225,000 or approx. EUR 268,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt-bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, attributed by inscription to the Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje, Eastern Tibet or Yunnan Province, 17^th century
Expert remark: Compare the chain-like ornament falling from each shoulder, which is remarkably similar to the prayer beads around the present figure's shoulders


秋英多傑派木雕佛教僧人坐像
西藏，十七世紀末至十八世紀。木雕僧人坐在一個方形底座上，底座高浮雕的花卉葉狀圖案。僧人身穿一件外袍，衣紋褶皺清晰，僧人手持念珠。

來源：匈牙利知名私人收藏，2021年12月11日科隆Lempertz拍賣，lot 39，估價 EUR 30,000，描述為十八世紀“dignitary in the style of the Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje”（第十世噶瑪巴∙秋英多傑風格的貴族）。
品相：狀況極好，有一些磨損，預期的老化裂縫，小劃痕和缺損，局部有輕微劃痕。木料具有極好的自然生長的包漿，整體上給人一種潤澤的感覺。

重量：718.0 克
尺寸：高21.5 厘米

他的臉上帶著沉思表情，杏仁狀的眼睛，雙眉緊皺。細密的頭髮挽成一個低髻，如蓮花花蕾一般。

秋英多傑 (1604-1674)，第十世噶瑪巴，為藏傳佛教噶舉派最高宗教領袖，是西藏歷史上最具原創力的藝術家之一，作品甚多，有繪畫、金屬造像和雕刻等。第十世噶瑪巴有著極其清新的個人視野和想像，他的藝術也顯露出他對許多不同的表現形式極能產生共鳴，他的作品中就融合了從中國山水畫到喀什米爾雕塑風格等許多不同的元素。參見 I. Mengele，《The Artist's Life in The Black Hat Eccentric - Artistic Visions of the Tenth Karmapa》，紐約，2013年，第 33-63 頁，記錄了秋英多傑的幾件犀角雕像，包括他贈送給 Tsang Khenchen 的一個度母，據說第十世噶瑪巴還在犀牛角上雕刻了噶舉派五位祖師的代表，參見昆桑喇嘛等《History of the Karmapas: The Odyssey of the Tibetan Masters with the Black Crown》，科羅拉多州博爾德 ，2012年 年，第 148 頁。

文獻比較：
比較一件相近秋英多傑觀世音菩薩象牙像，有相似的念珠，收藏於大都會藝術博物館，編號1972.123。比較一件相近秋英多傑黃銅綠度母像，有相似的念珠，收藏於Rubin 藝術博物館，藏品編號C2005.16.3a-b。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2017年3月15日，lot 222
價格：USD 137,500（相當於今日EUR 163,500）
描述：十七世紀或稍晚西藏秋英多傑噶瑪巴銅像
專家評論：比較底座的珠狀裝飾和光背，與現拍品僧人手上的念珠相似。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2017年3月15日，lot 223
價格：USD 225,000（相當於今日EUR 268,500）
描述：十七世紀雲南或西藏秋英多傑鎏金觀世音菩薩銅像
專家評論：比較雙肩垂掛的鏈珠，與現拍品僧人雙肩的念珠相似。