A bronze figure of Ekadashamukha Avalokiteshvara

TIBET, 15TH CENTURY

Details

A bronze figure of Ekadashamukha Avalokiteshvara
Tibet, 15th century
The eleven-headed eight-armed deity standing with his primary hands folded in front of his chest and his secondary arms radiating around him holding a lotus, mala, dharma wheel, bow, arrow and water pot, clad in a long, flaring dhoti incised with foliate patterns and secured with a pendant belt, an antelope skin draped across his shoulders and further adorned with necklaces and other jewelry, the faces finely detailed and surmounted by elaborate crowns, the tenth head in a fierce expression, the highest head that of Buddha Amitabha
12 in. (30.4 cm.) high

Provenance

Onno Janssens Collection, Netherlands, acquired in New York by 1998

Literature

Himalayan Art Resources, www.himalayanart.org, item no. 66738

Lot Essay

The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is the patron deity of Tibet, embodying the compassion of all the buddhas of the ten directions and three times. In the standing form with eleven faces he is closely associated with Lakshmi. This example has a superior composition based on very good proportions, making it one of the best examples of all of the various eleven-faced sculpture in museum and private collections worldwide. The faces are particularly attractive, and the incision work representing the silk garments on the lower torso is very finely rendered.

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