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拍品专文
This rare and powerfully expressive sculpture represents an important Tibetan yogi. Executed in copper alloy with silver inlay, the figure is a masterpiece of early Tibetan bronze casting, notable for its spiritual intensity and stylistic restraint, consistent with 12th–13th century production techniques.
Seated in vajrasana, the yogi raises his right hand in abhaya mudra (the gesture of fearlessness), while the left, resting in his lap is held in vitarka mudra (the gesture of teaching or discussion), eloquently conveying his role as an enlightened master and teacher. His face is rendered with intense, focused expression, including deeply incised eyes, furrowed brow, and notably, exposed teeth, a rare but documented iconographic detail emphasising both spiritual intensity and lifelike realism. His short, spiked hair, unbound and natural, aligns with another sculpture from the same atelier that represents Padamapa Sangye at a more advanced age.
He wears a plain meditation cloak draped simply over his shoulder, its folds modelled with remarkable subtlety across both front and back. The simplicity of his attire and absence of jewellery or attributes makes it difficult to suggest a definitive name, but the popularity of his following was at its peak in the 13th century (see lot 2008 for a discussion on the subject by Jeff Watt).
As noted by Rob Linrothe, in his discussion of a related image of Padampa Sangye from the same period:
“His blanket, his only piece of clothing, was plain… Unlike most yogi siddhas, he is said to have worn no jewellery, and that is how he is shown in this statue, although later images often present him outfitted with large earrings and bone ornaments.” (Holy Madness: Portraits of Tantric Siddhas, New York, 2006, cat. no. 79)
This sculpture is likely part of the same original set as the silver-inlaid figure of Padampa Sangye in the Nyingjei Lam Collection, now widely recognised for its historical and stylistic coherence. Both figures exhibit the thin-wall casting characteristic of 12th–13th century Tibetan bronzes, likely produced in a high-status atelier with access to refined materials and advanced metalworking techniques.
Early, lifelike depictions of Indian masters in this unadorned and ascetic form are exceedingly rare. Later traditions tended to embellish his image, whereas this sculpture captures a near-contemporary vision of the saint, likely created shortly after his death in the 12th century, when his legacy was still being actively shaped by close disciples. The absence of ornamental features, the naturalistic facial expression, and the use of precious inlay point to a devotional image of both ritual and historical significance.
As such, this figure stands as a rare and important survival from Tibet’s early artistic flowering. It reflects a transitional moment, before standardised iconography overtook biographically informed portraiture. The sculpture is not only an object of great visual power but also a testament to the reverence bestowed on early Indian teachers who brought the Buddhist teachings to Tibet.
Seated in vajrasana, the yogi raises his right hand in abhaya mudra (the gesture of fearlessness), while the left, resting in his lap is held in vitarka mudra (the gesture of teaching or discussion), eloquently conveying his role as an enlightened master and teacher. His face is rendered with intense, focused expression, including deeply incised eyes, furrowed brow, and notably, exposed teeth, a rare but documented iconographic detail emphasising both spiritual intensity and lifelike realism. His short, spiked hair, unbound and natural, aligns with another sculpture from the same atelier that represents Padamapa Sangye at a more advanced age.
He wears a plain meditation cloak draped simply over his shoulder, its folds modelled with remarkable subtlety across both front and back. The simplicity of his attire and absence of jewellery or attributes makes it difficult to suggest a definitive name, but the popularity of his following was at its peak in the 13th century (see lot 2008 for a discussion on the subject by Jeff Watt).
As noted by Rob Linrothe, in his discussion of a related image of Padampa Sangye from the same period:
“His blanket, his only piece of clothing, was plain… Unlike most yogi siddhas, he is said to have worn no jewellery, and that is how he is shown in this statue, although later images often present him outfitted with large earrings and bone ornaments.” (Holy Madness: Portraits of Tantric Siddhas, New York, 2006, cat. no. 79)
This sculpture is likely part of the same original set as the silver-inlaid figure of Padampa Sangye in the Nyingjei Lam Collection, now widely recognised for its historical and stylistic coherence. Both figures exhibit the thin-wall casting characteristic of 12th–13th century Tibetan bronzes, likely produced in a high-status atelier with access to refined materials and advanced metalworking techniques.
Early, lifelike depictions of Indian masters in this unadorned and ascetic form are exceedingly rare. Later traditions tended to embellish his image, whereas this sculpture captures a near-contemporary vision of the saint, likely created shortly after his death in the 12th century, when his legacy was still being actively shaped by close disciples. The absence of ornamental features, the naturalistic facial expression, and the use of precious inlay point to a devotional image of both ritual and historical significance.
As such, this figure stands as a rare and important survival from Tibet’s early artistic flowering. It reflects a transitional moment, before standardised iconography overtook biographically informed portraiture. The sculpture is not only an object of great visual power but also a testament to the reverence bestowed on early Indian teachers who brought the Buddhist teachings to Tibet.