STATUE DE VIRUPA EN BRONZE

TIBET, XVIEME SIECLE

Details

STATUE DE VIRUPA EN BRONZE
TIBET, XVIEME SIECLE
Représenté assis les jambes croisées sur une peau d'antilope recouvrant la base lotiforme, les mains en dharmacakramudra, portant un dhoti, paré de bijoux rehaussés de fleurs, le visage sévère incrusté de cuivre et d'argent, les cheveux coiffés en chignon ornés d'une tiare de fleurs, scellée
Hauteur: 15,6 cm. (6 1/8 in.)

Provenance

Formerly the property of a Dutch private collector, acquired between the 1970's and the 1990's in The Netherlands, and bought from him by the present private collector in 1996, The Hague

Literature

Hugo Kreijger, Godenbeelden uit Tibet, SDU Uitgeverij, Den Haag, 1989, p. 103

Exhibited

Goden en goeroe's, Museum voor Volkenkunde, Rotterdam, 17 June - 28 November 1989

Further details

A FINE COPPER AND SILVER INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF VIRUPA
TIBET, 16TH CENTURY

Brought to you by

Giulia Cuturi

gcuturi@christies.com +33 (0) 1 40 76 84 22

Lot Essay

The Indian mystic Virupa is credited with performing many extraordinary deeds, including parting the waters of the Ganges and drinking enormous amounts of alcoholic beverages. Once he was refused further liquor at a tavern unless he could pay, upon which he prevented the sun from setting for two days with his magical powers. The local king, highly concerned, settled his bill in order to free the sun.

Virupa lived in the ninth century in southern India and studied at the University of Nalanda. He was known for his comments on the Hevajra Tantra.

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