A BRONZE RITUAL ‘MANJUSHRI’ LAMP, NEPAL, 19TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A BRONZE RITUAL ‘MANJUSHRI’ LAMP, NEPAL, 19TH CENTURY Rising from the rear is an elaborate flaming mandorla enclosing the four-armed bodhisattva Manjushri seated upon a lotus throne. He brandishes the sword of wisdom in one hand and holds a bow, arrow, and manuscript in the others, his serene face surmounted by a tall jeweled crown. The aureole is densely worked with scrolling foliage and flame motifs, culminating in a fierce kirtimukha mask and surmounted by a small kalasha. The elaborate ritual lamp features a flaring pedestal base with tiers of openwork floral and foliate motifs, lotus petals, and pearl borders. The neck above the mid-ridge is plain and supports the round burner dish for the oil and the wick. Dimensions: Height 27.5 cm Ornate oil lamps may have entered the artistic traditions of the Himalayan regions through early trade contact with Roman and Byzantine oil lamps. They have long been used in places of worship and for domestic rituals by adherents of all the major religions throughout the diverse regions of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas. Burning oil lamps help demarcate and purify a sacred space, and they can symbolize a practitioner’s enlightenment. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related temple lamp, dated to the late 19th century, 53.34 cm high, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number M.79.152.50a-b. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 10 September 2025, lot 113 Price: EUR 4,680 or approx. EUR 4,900 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related form and size (117.9 cm).

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