A LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF RATNASAMBHAVA, CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH-14TH CENTURY
Finely cast, seated in dhyanasana atop a double lotus base with a beaded upper rim, his right hand held in varada mudra and the left lowered above his lap, wearing a sheer dhoti, billowing scarves and richly adorned with elaborately designed jewelry. His serene face with sinuously lidded eyes, neatly incised brows centered by a rhombic urna, the hair piled up into a high chignon behind the distinct five-leaf tiara.


Provenance:
From a private collection in France, by repute acquired before 1983. The property of a nobleman, acquired from the above. Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 24860.

Condition:
Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected old wear, predominantly from centuries of worship within the culture. Minor casting flaws, small dents, minuscule nicks, light scratches, some losses, the seal plate has been replaced with a wooden panel. The face with remnants of gilt. Ancient remnants of pigment. A good, naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 2,517 g
Dimensions: Height 33.7 cm


Ratnasambhava
is one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas (or Five Meditation Buddhas) of Mahayana and Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism. Ratnasambhava's mandalas and mantras focus on developing equanimity and equality and, in Vajrayana Buddhist thought is associated with the attempt to destroy greed and pride. Ratnasaṃbhava is associated with the skandha of feeling or sensation and its relationship with consciousness. His activity in promoting Buddhism is enriching and is increasing the knowledge of Dharma. Ratnasambhava is associated with the jewel symbol, which corresponds to his family. His right hand grants wishes. He presides over the South, his element is earth, his sense is smell, and his color is yellow. It seems that he was the least popular of the group of five cosmic Buddhas, and for this reason
large statues of him are exceedingly rare
.


Expert’s note:
The present lot belongs to a group long considered to originate from western Tibet. However, more recent scholarship suggests this type of early Tibetan sculpture is more likely to be from the central regions, where the primary stylistic influence up to around the 13th century was the art of Kashmir and eastern India during the late Pala period. Tibetan bronzes with Pala influence are mostly un-gilded, like the majority of their Indian antecedents. Tibetan sculpture after the 14th century, however, is increasingly modeled and gilded in the Nepalese manner.


Literature comparison:


Compare two closely related hollow-cast brass figures of Ratnasambhava, one 42 cm high, the other 27 cm, with silver and copper inlays, both attributed to Western Tibet and dated to the 13th century, illustrated in Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, page 180, figs. 34A and 34B. Compare a related silver and copper-inlaid brass figure of Ratnasambhava, 42.3 cm high, attributed to western Tibet and dated to the 14th century, in the Tibet Museum Fondation Alain Bordier, accession number ABS 032.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2011, lot 357
Price: USD 194,500 or approx.
EUR 247,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of Buddha Vairocana, Tibet, 14th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related pose, dress, jewelry, expression, hairstyle, and crown. Compare also the related subject, depicting another of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, and lotus base. Note the related size (30.5 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 23 March 2010, lot 222
Price: USD 56,250 or approx.
EUR 73,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of Ratnasambhava, Western Tibet, 14th/15th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, pose, hand gestures, dress, jewelry, lotus base with beaded upper rim, expression, hairstyle, and crown. Note the gemstone inlays, silver-inlaid eyes, and slightly larger size (38.1 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Zacke, 9 March 2023, lot 169
Price:
EUR 41,600

Description: A large bronze figure of Ratnasambhava, Central Tibet, 13th-14th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, pose, hand gestures, dress, jewelry, lotus base with beaded upper rim, expression, hairstyle, and crown. Note the related size (31 cm).




西藏中部十三至十四世紀大型寶生佛銅像


寶生佛跏趺坐坐在雙層蓮花座上，底座串珠紋。面目慈祥，雙眉之間可見白毫，高髻，頭頂五葉皇冠，身著華麗的菩薩裝，左手禪定印，右手下垂於膝前，掌心向外施與願印。


來源：
法國私人收藏，據説購於 1983年；紳士財產，購於上述收藏；Himalayan Art Resources，編號 24860。


品相：
狀況良好，有使用磨損，輕微的鑄造缺陷、小凹痕、微小的刻痕、輕微的劃痕、一些缺損，密封板已換為木板。 臉部有鎏金痕跡，顏料殘留，整體上呈現良好的包漿。

重量：2,517 克
尺寸：高 33.7 釐米


寶生佛
為佛教五方佛中之南方如來之一，代表毗盧遮那佛（釋迦牟尼佛的法身）的“平等性智”，也代表佛法微妙之德，亦即在佛法圓滿中，得到無量福德、珍寶。寶生如來部所攝，即平等性智。寶生佛手印為滿願印，即左手持衣角當心，右手仰掌，能隨順眾生之所欲，滿足其所願，以便其修法。他掌管南方，五行是土，常身著黃衣。


專家注釋：
本拍品一直被認為起源於西藏西部，但近期學術研究表明，此類早期西藏造像極可能來自中部地區。十三世紀前後，該地區的主要是受是帕拉晚期克什米爾和印度東部的藝術風格影響。受帕拉風格影響的西藏青銅造像大多不鎏金，如大多數印度銅器一樣。然而，十四世紀以後的西藏造像越來越多地採用尼泊爾的方式進行塑造和鎏金。


文獻比較：

比較兩件非常相近的西藏西部十三世紀黃銅空心錯銀銅寶生佛像，一件高42 釐米，另一件高27 釐米，見 Ulrich von Schroeder，《Indo-Tibetan Bronzes》，香港，頁180，圖34A和34B。比較一件相近的西藏西部十四世紀黃銅錯銀銅寶生佛銅像，高42.3 釐米，收藏於Tibet Museum Fondation Alain Bordier，館藏編號ABS 032。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2011年3月22日，lot 375
價格：USD 194,500（相當於今日
EUR 247,000
）
描述：十四世紀西藏毗盧遮那佛銅像
專家評論：比較非常相近的姿勢、洋裝、珠寶、表情、髮型和王冠。比較相近的主題，但呈現的是另一位五方佛。請注意相近 尺寸 (30.5 釐米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2010年3月23日，lot 222
價格：USD 56,250（相當於今日
EUR 73,500
）
描述：十四至十五世紀西藏西部寶生佛銅像
專家評論：比較非常相近的主題、姿勢、手勢、洋裝、珠寶、上翻蓮座、表情、髮型和王冠。請注意此像有寶石鑲嵌、眼睛銀鑲嵌和尺寸較大 (38.1 釐米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：維也納Zacke藝廊，2023年3月9日，lot 169
價格：
EUR 41,600

描述：十三至十四世紀西藏大型寶生如來銅像
專家評論：比較非常相近的主題、姿勢、手勢、洋裝、珠寶、上翻蓮座、表情、髮型和王冠。請注意相近 尺寸 (31 釐米)。