TIBET, 16TH CENTURY

Details

A BRONZE FIGURE OF LOWO KHENCHEN SONAM LHUNDRUP (CIRCA 1441-1532)
TIBET, 16TH CENTURY
Seated in dhyanasana on a double-lotus base with his hands held in dharmachakramudra, dressed in robes incised with foliate patterns and lantsa characters, the individualized face applied with cold gold and pigments surmounted by a textured cap, the front edge and lower rim of the lotus base incised with inscriptions
5 ¼ in. (13.34 cm.) high

Provenance

Sotheby's London, 5 February 1979, lot 67.
The James and Marilynn Asldorf Collection, Chicago.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Vicki Paloympis

alsdorfcollection@christies.com +1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

An important Sakya scholar from the kingdom of Mustang, Lowo Khenchen Sonam Lhundrub traveled widely throughout his lifetime, and taught at the celebrated Sakya and Ngor monasteries in Central Tibet. Compare the ornamentation and iconography with both a contemporaneous bronze figure of Sonam Lhundrub sold at Christie’s New York, 21 March 2018, lot 305, and a contemporaneous portrait of the same illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 66792.

The inscription on the top of the lotus base reads: Homage to Jamyang Sönam Lhündrup!
The bronze is further inscribed: The Sakya monk Tsün[drü] Zang[po] commissioned [this image] in order to repay [his] father’s and mother’s kindness. May they always be cherished in all lifetimes! Mangalam!

Special thanks to Dr Yannick Laurent for his assistance with this lot.

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