A gilt bronze figure of Maitreya

TIBET, 15TH/16TH CENTURY

Details

A gilt bronze figure of Maitreya
Tibet, 15th/16th century
Seated in dhyanasana on a double-lotus base fronted by a diminutive image of Vaishravana, his hands before his chest in dharmachakramudra and clutching the stems of lotuses blossoming at his shoulders, the one at left supporting a water vessel, clad in a billowing dhoti and adorned with jewelry and sashes, the face with gentle smile and elongated eyes surmounted by a jeweled tiara, the base with an inscription on the verso
8½ in. (21.5 cm.) high

Provenance

Collection of Alexander von Staël-Holstein, acquired circa 1920
Inherited by Mrs. von Staël-Holstein and brought to California in 1947
By gift to present owner upon the occasion of his marriage, 1997

Literature

Himalayan Art Resources (himalayanart.org), item no. 23398

Lot Essay

Alexander von Staël-Holstein (1877-1937) was a legendary pioneer and scholar of Asian studies. Born as a German-Baltic aristocrat, he emigrated from Czarist Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution to China, where he took up an adjunct position teaching Sanskrit and Tibetan at Peking University. He was appointed visiting professor at Harvard University in 1928 and subsequently became a full professor of Asian Studies at Harvard from 1929 until his passing. During his time at Harvard, Staël-Holstein helped to establish the Sino-Indian Institute, where he continuted to emphasize the importance of Sanskrit and Tibetan in the reconstruction of ancient Chinese phonetics.

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