TIBET OR MONGOLIA, 19TH CENTURY

Details

A Pair of Gilt Repousse Deer
Tibet or Mongolia, 19th Century
Both standing on lotus bases with docile expressions, one with horn
23 in. (58.4 cm.) high (2)

Provenance

with John Sparks Ltd., London, 8 November 1938 (£120).

Special notice

Christie's is selling all lots in this sale as agent for an organization which holds a State of New York Exempt Organization certificate. Seller explicitly reserves all trademark and trade name rights and rights of privacy and publicity in the name and image of Doris Duke. No buyer of any property in this sale will acquire any right to use the Doris Duke name or image. Seller further explicitly reserves all copyright rights in designs or other copyrightable works included in the property offered for sale. No buyer of any property in the sale will acquire the rights to reproduce, distribute copies of, or prepare derivative works of such designs or copyrightable works.

Lot Essay

The deer, one male and female, in their receptive yet attentive attitude with raised heads, represent the audience of Shakyamuni Buddha's first teaching at the deer park of Sarnath after attaining enlightenment. He preached the eight-fold path towards liberation from life's suffering. The deer would have flanked an eight-spoked wheel of Dharma, symbolizing the Buddhist teaching or 'Turning of the Wheel', and is generally placed above the front gate of a Buddhist monastery, allowing for the path toward liberation and happiness to progress.

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