A LARGE MONGOLIAN GILT-COPPER EMBOSSED FIGURE OF MAITREYA, seated in pralambapadasana on a shaped throne, both feet resting on a lotus, both hands in dharmacakramudra and formerly holding the lotus-stems, wearing dhoti, the border engraved with scrolling flowers, many bodhisattva-ornaments, partly with turquoise and coral inlay, floating scarf entwining both forearms and falling over the base, his breast with inserted shaped panel with Tsong-kha-pa flanked by the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, his face with downcast expression, aquiline nose, smiling lips, painted facial details, elongated earlobes with large ear-rings, a separate embossed five-leaf crown, set with turquoise and coral-beads, a separate moulded blue painted chignon surmounted by ratna, with separate cast stupa in front, the shaped stepped throne with a pair of partly painted buddhist lions in the attitude of supporting and flanking a flaming triratna to three sides, a large flaming wooden halo behind, probably re-placing the original copper one, carved with a pair of elephants, lions, goats and gui-dragons, surrounded by foliate, sealed and with original consacration material, sealed, late 18th Century110 cm high with wooden halo90 cm without wooden halo

A LARGE MONGOLIAN GILT-COPPER EMBOSSED FIGURE OF MAITREYA, seated in pralambapadasana on a shaped throne, both feet resting on a lotus, both hands in dharmacakramudra and formerly holding the lotus-stems, wearing dhoti, the border engraved with scrolling flowers, many bodhisattva-ornaments, partly with turquoise and coral inlay, floating scarf entwining both forearms and falling over the base, his breast with inserted shaped panel with Tsong-kha-pa flanked by the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, his face with downcast expression, aquiline nose, smiling lips, painted facial details, elongated earlobes with large ear-rings, a separate embossed five-leaf crown, set with turquoise and coral-beads, a separate moulded blue painted chignon surmounted by ratna, with separate cast stupa in front, the shaped stepped throne with a pair of partly painted buddhist lions in the attitude of supporting and flanking a flaming triratna to three sides, a large flaming wooden halo behind, probably re-placing the original copper one, carved with a pair of elephants, lions, goats and gui-dragons, surrounded by foliate, sealed and with original consacration material, sealed, late 18th Century 110 cm high with wooden halo 90 cm without wooden halo

Details

A LARGE MONGOLIAN GILT-COPPER EMBOSSED FIGURE OF MAITREYA, seated in pralambapadasana on a shaped throne, both feet resting on a lotus, both hands in dharmacakramudra and formerly holding the lotus-stems, wearing dhoti, the border engraved with scrolling flowers, many bodhisattva-ornaments, partly with turquoise and coral inlay, floating scarf entwining both forearms and falling over the base, his breast with inserted shaped panel with Tsong-kha-pa flanked by the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, his face with downcast expression, aquiline nose, smiling lips, painted facial details, elongated earlobes with large ear-rings, a separate embossed five-leaf crown, set with turquoise and coral-beads, a separate moulded blue painted chignon surmounted by ratna, with separate cast stupa in front, the shaped stepped throne with a pair of partly painted buddhist lions in the attitude of supporting and flanking a flaming triratna to three sides, a large flaming wooden halo behind, probably re-placing the original copper one, carved with a pair of elephants, lions, goats and gui-dragons, surrounded by foliate, sealed and with original consacration material, sealed, late 18th Century
110 cm high with wooden halo
90 cm without wooden halo

Provenance

Apparently, the bronze was acquired in the thirties near the border of Mongolia and thence by descent to present owner.

Lot Essay

Although the Chinese influence in the bronze under review is very strong, it is still possible to determinate the piece as Mongolian. If one compares the shape of Maitreya's face with other Mongolian bronzes the similarities are obvious. The throne of the present bronze resembles strongly to ones known originating from Mongolia and are decorated with lion's supporting its upper section. They are quite often (partly) gaily painted, like the one offered for sale. See for instance N. Tsultem, The Eminent Mongolian Sculptor - G. Zanabazar, Ulan Bator, 1982, pl. 89 and 91, and from the same author, Mongolian Sculpture, Ulan Bator, 1989, pl. 93 and 96. For the throne see as well Tresors de Mongolie, XVII-XIX siecles, by G. Beguin and others, Paris, 1993, p. 124. Even a smaller detail, the necklace, is comparable to necklaces worn by a few Mongolian bronzes presently in the Ethnographic Museum of Stockholm and published by M. Rhie and R. Thurman in Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1991, nrs. 35 and 36
A very unusual detail is the inserted panel moulded with Tsong-kha-pa flanked by the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, founder and spiritual leaders of the dGe-lugs-pa order. It is known that the Mongolians, during the eightteenth and nineteenth centuries, were the most ardent followers of this religious sect. This inserted panel emphasizes again the Mongolian background of the bronze under review.

See colour illustration

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