AN EAST TIBETAN BRONZE FIGURE OF VAJRABHAIRAVA AND HIS FEMALE CONSORT, standing with his sixteen legs in pratyalidhasana on two rows of separately cast animals, birds and human figures, on lotus-base, his thirty-four arms radiating around his body, holding his specific attributes, his principle hands embracing his consort and holding the kartrika and kapala, naked except for the dharmapala-ornaments, mala of severed heads, his nine-headed face with central bull-face, bulging eyes, urna, bushy eyebrows, large snout, open mouth showing fangs and teeth, pair of flaming horns, painted facial details and red painted flaming hairdress, his consort with her left leg around his middle, both hands holding the kapala and kartrika, wearing similar ornaments, her cold-gilded angry face with open mouth, crown, red painted hairdress, sealed, 17th Century

AN EAST TIBETAN BRONZE FIGURE OF VAJRABHAIRAVA AND HIS FEMALE CONSORT, standing with his sixteen legs in pratyalidhasana on two rows of separately cast animals, birds and human figures, on lotus-base, his thirty-four arms radiating around his body, holding his specific attributes, his principle hands embracing his consort and holding the kartrika and kapala, naked except for the dharmapala-ornaments, mala of severed heads, his nine-headed face with central bull-face, bulging eyes, urna, bushy eyebrows, large snout, open mouth showing fangs and teeth, pair of flaming horns, painted facial details and red painted flaming hairdress, his consort with her left leg around his middle, both hands holding the kapala and kartrika, wearing similar ornaments, her cold-gilded angry face with open mouth, crown, red painted hairdress, sealed, 17th Century

Details

AN EAST TIBETAN BRONZE FIGURE OF VAJRABHAIRAVA AND HIS FEMALE CONSORT, standing with his sixteen legs in pratyalidhasana on two rows of separately cast animals, birds and human figures, on lotus-base, his thirty-four arms radiating around his body, holding his specific attributes, his principle hands embracing his consort and holding the kartrika and kapala, naked except for the dharmapala-ornaments, mala of severed heads, his nine-headed face with central bull-face, bulging eyes, urna, bushy eyebrows, large snout, open mouth showing fangs and teeth, pair of flaming horns, painted facial details and red painted flaming hairdress, his consort with her left leg around his middle, both hands holding the kapala and kartrika, wearing similar ornaments, her cold-gilded angry face with open mouth, crown, red painted hairdress, sealed, 17th Century
21 cm high

Lot Essay

Vajrabhairava or Yamantaka is considered as one of the most powerful deities of the dGe-lugs-pa school, which is headed by the Dalai Lama.
The bronze under discussion is depicted with his female consort in spiritual and physical union. He is regarded as the angry, but as well cosmic manifestation of Manjusri, the god of Wisdom. The latter can be seen at the top of the flaming hairdress the painted facial details enhance to its dramatic character.
A rather similar represention, although originating from Central Tibet, is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and published by P. Pal in Art of Tibet, Berkeley, 1983, p. 216/217.
There are however various slight differences between both examples. The one offered for sale has a base with lotus-petals all around, the L.A.C.M.A. bronze has a plain backside. The last has as well a more stylized flaming hairdress. Minor differences can be found in i.e. the crowns and faces of the prostrating figures on the base.

See colour illustration

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