A SILVER ‘PALDEN LHAMO’ SHRINE, GAU, WITH A ‘THREE LONG LIFE DEITIES’ TSATSA

拍品描述

A SILVER ‘PALDEN LHAMO’ SHRINE, GAU, WITH A ‘THREE LONG LIFE DEITIES’ TSATSA Expert’s note Considered a precious metal, silver was scarce in the Himalayas, where its use was largely reserved for currency and ritual vessels; consequently, silver reliquary is rare. As such, this work must have been a special commission. Tibet, 18th-19th century. Finely worked in repoussé, the front depicting the wrathful goddess Palden Lhamo riding her mule across a sea of blood, surrounded by vigorously curling flames. She brandishes a trident in her right hand and holds a kapala in her left, her body adorned with jewelry, a garland of severed heads, and a tiger skin. The fierce face is marked by three bulging eyes and a gaping mouth, surmounted by a crown framing her flaming hair, with coral-inlaid earrings providing vivid accents. The shrine opens to reveal a consecratory assemblage and a molded tsa tsa depicting the Three Long Life Deities, with Buddha Amitayus above, White Tara to the left, and Ushnishavijaya to the right, together with a diminutive stupa between the lower deities. The copper backplate is engraved with a double-vajra within a medallion. The short sides each set with two rectangular cord loops for suspension. Dimensions: Height 10.1 cm The sacred contents of the reliquary comprise: 1. A Tibetan silver coin. 2. Seeds and grains. 3. Fragments of turquoise and other hardstones. 4. Remnants of scriptures. 5. Ritual deposits wrapped in textile. The wrathful form of Shri Lakshmi, Palden Lhamo, which translates to glorious goddess, is the principle female wisdom protector of Tantric Buddhism, as well as the main companion of the enlightened protector Mahakala. She is almost always depicted riding side-saddle atop her mount, the mule, through an ocean of blood. Gau are sacred receptacles serving many purposes in Tibetan daily life, including as a sign of social status and rank. They are most commonly constructed from metal repoussé and made according to three different sizes. The small and medium sized gaus are portable, while the largest of gaus were often placed within a home or temple. All hold sacred and auspicious objects including tsatsa which can often be seen through a viewing window. Their purpose, as stated by Rhie and Thurman, “...served as a site where the wisdom emanation of that enlightened being could be invoked and communicated with.” (A Shrine for Tibet, New York, 2009, p. 255) Literature comparison: Compare a closely related amulet box (gau) depicting Mahakala, Bhutan, 18th century, in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, accession number 2006.284.

图片