AN EARLY GILT COPPER REPOUSSÉ FIGURE OF A BODHISATTVA, TIBET, 15TH-16TH CENTURY

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AN EARLY GILT COPPER REPOUSSÉ FIGURE OF A BODHISATTVA, TIBET, 15TH-16TH CENTURY Expert’s note The large scale, deep relief, rich gilding, and exceptional detail indicate that the present panel was created for an important Tibetan religious commission. The bodhisattva is modeled with considerable assurance, from the softly articulated torso and serene face to the precisely worked jewelry and crown. Its sophisticated repoussé technique reflects the celebrated tradition of Newari metalworkers, whose expertise in hammered copper was highly prized throughout Tibet and frequently employed for important monastic projects. The panel may have been part of a throne or aureole for a monumental Buddha image, for a closely related example depicting Bodhisattva Samantabhadra in a similar pose as the present lot, see a Tibetan gilt-copper repoussé panel dated to the 16th century, 41.9 cm high, in the Norton Simon Museum, accession number M.2010.1.235.S. Finely modeled standing in a gently flexed tribhanga upon a beaded lotus pedestal, the right hand lowered in vitarka mudra and the left raised before the chest in abhaya mudra, clad in a diaphanous dhoti secured at the waist by a jeweled belt and richly adorned with beaded necklaces, armlets, bracelets, anklets, and foliate ornaments. The face bears a serene and benevolent expression, with downcast almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows centered by a raised circular urna, a slender nose, and full lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by elongated earlobes suspending foliate earrings. The hair is gathered beneath an elaborate jeweled crown, while scrolling lotus tendrils rise over the shoulders. Dimensions: Height 37.8 cm Literature comparison: Compare a related larger gilt-copper repoussé panel depicting a bodhisattva, sold at Sotheby’s New York, March 2000, and illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 11654. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams New York, 14 March 2016, lot 22 Mid-Estimate: USD 40,000 or approx. EUR 49,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, repoussé work, and gilding. Note the size (49 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams New York, 14 March 2016, lot 13 Price: USD 37,500 or approx. EUR 46,000 (for two) converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, repoussé work, and gilding. Note the much smaller size of the figures (the panels 35 cm).

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