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Lot Essay
This exceptionally powerful and richly gilt bronze figure of Green Tara exemplifies the stylistic sophistication and technical finesse characteristic of the Zanabazar sculptural school. Renowned for its integration of Pala, Newari, and Yongle stylistic elements into a distinctly Mongolian artistic expression, the school reflects the vision of its founder, the Mongolian political and religious leader Jebtsundamba Khutukhtu Zanabazar (1635-1723), also known as Yeshe Dorje in Tibetan. Recognized in his era as Mongolia's greatest artist and serving as the personal tutor to the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1662-1722), Zanabazar's legacy is vividly captured in this figure, which showcases the hallmarks of his finest work. The body's perfectly balanced proportions and the jewel-like quality of the face, combined with the sensitively rendered hands, imbue the figure with a powerful elegance. The beautifully modeled base, with its rounded lotus petals and delicate incising and beading, underscores the craftsmanship of Zanabazar. The skilled modeling and richly gilt surface align this work closely in style and quality with the original group of Zanabazar bronzes designed by the master himself.
The son of Khalkha Tushyetü Khan, leader of the Khalkha Mongols, Zanabazar was recognized at an early age by both the Panchen Lama and Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Tibetan lama, Taranatha (1575-1634), and proclaimed the First Jebtsundamba, an honorific title signifying the spiritual head of the Gelug lineage in Mongolia. He traveled to Tibet to continue his religious instruction under the powerful Gelugpa lamas before returning to Mongolia in 1651, bringing fifty sculptors and painters with him in an attempt to establish the Gelug order amongst the Mongols. During his time in Tibet, Zanabazar developed a deep appreciation for the Nepalese style of art, which was highly esteemed by the Gelug tradition. This admiration significantly shaped his own creative direction and style. Following his return to Mongolia, he played a pivotal role in rejuvenating the Buddhist sculpture workshops in Mongolia.
By the decades of the 1670s and 1680s, Zanabazar, alongside his apprentices at the Tövkhön Monastery, crafted hundreds of sculptures. These creations were instrumental in populating the numerous monasteries and temples he established, serving as a means to disseminate Buddhism to the broader populace beyond the royal courts. As Zanabazar's political influence expanded, his artistry also assumed a diplomatic role, facilitating negotiations with Dzungar leader Galdan Boshugtu Khan and the Kangxi Emperor. This artistic diplomacy was crucial in the eventual integration of outer Mongolia under the Qing protectorate. Rather than settle at one established monastery, he traveled in encampments from one to another, in what became known as the Da Khuree (Great Circle). During his time as religious leader of the Khalkha Mongols, Zanabazar oversaw the spread of Buddhist art in the region. His visualization and design of gilt bronze sculpture, subsequently carried out by master Nepalese bronze casters, are widely recognized as some of the finest Buddhist gilt-bronze sculptures created.
Zanabazar had a special affinity with Tara, and among his greatest masterworks are the Twenty One Taras currently housed in the collection of the Bogd Khan Winter Palace Museum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Green Tara, the subject of the present sculpture, is warmly referred to by Tibetan Buddhists of all traditions as the "Mother of all Buddhas." She is a fully enlightened female Buddha and acts as an unconditional guide and protector to help all sentient beings find liberation from the ocean of suffering. Referred to as the female counterpart to the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in tantric literature, Green Tara is called upon by devotees to bestow protection from earthly dangers and disasters. Gracefully seated atop a thick lotus throne, the goddess tilts her head slightly with a benevolent gaze and warm smile in the posture of 'royal ease.' Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, is depicted with Green Tara’s jeweled crown. This design signifies the belief that, just like Avalokiteshvara, Green Tara is both the emanation and pupil of Amitabha. Compare the incising work on the Tara’s dhoti , the elaborate ornaments, and the rich gilding of the present sculpture with a figure of White Tara sold at Christie’s New York on 19 March 2013, lot 331, for $627,750.
The son of Khalkha Tushyetü Khan, leader of the Khalkha Mongols, Zanabazar was recognized at an early age by both the Panchen Lama and Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Tibetan lama, Taranatha (1575-1634), and proclaimed the First Jebtsundamba, an honorific title signifying the spiritual head of the Gelug lineage in Mongolia. He traveled to Tibet to continue his religious instruction under the powerful Gelugpa lamas before returning to Mongolia in 1651, bringing fifty sculptors and painters with him in an attempt to establish the Gelug order amongst the Mongols. During his time in Tibet, Zanabazar developed a deep appreciation for the Nepalese style of art, which was highly esteemed by the Gelug tradition. This admiration significantly shaped his own creative direction and style. Following his return to Mongolia, he played a pivotal role in rejuvenating the Buddhist sculpture workshops in Mongolia.
By the decades of the 1670s and 1680s, Zanabazar, alongside his apprentices at the Tövkhön Monastery, crafted hundreds of sculptures. These creations were instrumental in populating the numerous monasteries and temples he established, serving as a means to disseminate Buddhism to the broader populace beyond the royal courts. As Zanabazar's political influence expanded, his artistry also assumed a diplomatic role, facilitating negotiations with Dzungar leader Galdan Boshugtu Khan and the Kangxi Emperor. This artistic diplomacy was crucial in the eventual integration of outer Mongolia under the Qing protectorate. Rather than settle at one established monastery, he traveled in encampments from one to another, in what became known as the Da Khuree (Great Circle). During his time as religious leader of the Khalkha Mongols, Zanabazar oversaw the spread of Buddhist art in the region. His visualization and design of gilt bronze sculpture, subsequently carried out by master Nepalese bronze casters, are widely recognized as some of the finest Buddhist gilt-bronze sculptures created.
Zanabazar had a special affinity with Tara, and among his greatest masterworks are the Twenty One Taras currently housed in the collection of the Bogd Khan Winter Palace Museum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Green Tara, the subject of the present sculpture, is warmly referred to by Tibetan Buddhists of all traditions as the "Mother of all Buddhas." She is a fully enlightened female Buddha and acts as an unconditional guide and protector to help all sentient beings find liberation from the ocean of suffering. Referred to as the female counterpart to the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in tantric literature, Green Tara is called upon by devotees to bestow protection from earthly dangers and disasters. Gracefully seated atop a thick lotus throne, the goddess tilts her head slightly with a benevolent gaze and warm smile in the posture of 'royal ease.' Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, is depicted with Green Tara’s jeweled crown. This design signifies the belief that, just like Avalokiteshvara, Green Tara is both the emanation and pupil of Amitabha. Compare the incising work on the Tara’s dhoti , the elaborate ornaments, and the rich gilding of the present sculpture with a figure of White Tara sold at Christie’s New York on 19 March 2013, lot 331, for $627,750.