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Lot Essay
The present figure is carved in the round from celadon jade and depicts Marichi seated in vajrasana upon a lotus base, the slender torso rendered with notable elegance and balance. The deity is conceived with three faces and six arms, and wears an elaborate headdress. The principal face displays a serene and benevolent expression, while one lateral face assumes a wrathful aspect and the other takes the form of a boar’s head. Together, these attributes reflect Marichi’s complex nature as both a radiant goddess of light and a powerful Buddhist protector embodying compassion, ferocity, and invincible strength.
Originally, each of the six hands would have held a ritual attribute. The jade possesses a deep, subdued tone, while the carving style combines the robust monumentality associated with Mongol Tibetan Buddhist imagery and the refined technical precision characteristic of Chinese jade craftsmanship. Given the particularly close relationship between the Yuan imperial court and Tibetan Buddhism, jade sculptures of Marichi from this period appear to be exceptionally rare. See also a gilt bronze figure of Marichi, Kangxi period, 43 cm high, sold at Christie's Paris, 23 June 2020, lot 43.
Originally, each of the six hands would have held a ritual attribute. The jade possesses a deep, subdued tone, while the carving style combines the robust monumentality associated with Mongol Tibetan Buddhist imagery and the refined technical precision characteristic of Chinese jade craftsmanship. Given the particularly close relationship between the Yuan imperial court and Tibetan Buddhism, jade sculptures of Marichi from this period appear to be exceptionally rare. See also a gilt bronze figure of Marichi, Kangxi period, 43 cm high, sold at Christie's Paris, 23 June 2020, lot 43.