A FINE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF WHITE TARA

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A FINE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF WHITE TARA
INCISED YONGLE SIX-CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIOD

The figure exquisitely cast seated in vajrasana, the hands in a preaching gesture, dharmacakramudra, entwined from each hand a long lotus-spray stem issuing lotus flower and buds at the shoulder, the face with a benevolent expression, an urna between the downcast eyes below an elaborate diadem holding back the hair swept into a topknot, richly adorned with a network of beaded jewellery chain across the torso, and repeated below the narrow waist fastening the dhoti, the base incised with a six-character mark, Daming Yongle nianshi, bestowed in the Great Ming Yongle period, tip of one lotus bloom missing
5 1/2 in. (13.9 cm.) high

Lot Essay

Compare a closely related example with the same six-character mark and hand gesture, catalogued as Maitreya, in the Chang Foundation, illustrated in Buddhist Images in Gilt-Metal, 1993, no. 22. The Chang Foundation example is larger at 21.5 cm. high and bears an additional kundika, water bottle, on the right lotus bloom. Compare a smaller example (15.7 cm. high) also from the Chang Foundation, illustrated, op. cit., no. 54.

Another example from the Benjamin J. Stein Collection, Amsterdam, with one lotus bloom missing, is illustrated by von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, no. 147E.

(US$20,000-26,000)

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