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Lot Essay
In Vajrayana Buddhism, Vajradhara, the primordial Buddha, is considered the source of all tantric teachings. Cast in a non-gilt format popularized in Northeastern India, the present figure of Vajradhara is depicted with Kashmiri-inspired elements: the silver-inlaid epicanthic eyes, strong upper torso and narrow waist, and accentuated rounded beaded jewellery.
The Kashmiri style profoundly influenced Buddhist art in Western Tibet beginning in the tenth century with the foundation of the Guge Kingdom. Located at the western extremity of the Tibetan plateau, the Guge Kingdom maintained close artistic ties with Kashmir, a connection that is supported by Rinchen Zangpo’s (958-1055) biography in which he notes that he once brought thirty-two artists from Kashmir to Western Tibet. Rinchen Zangpo, the Great Translator, was active during the Second Transmission of Buddhism in Tibet, a period which witnessed a major import of Buddhism from Northeast India into Tibet. Consequently, much of the early sculpture demonstrate a reliance on existing Indian styles, such as the application of silver and copper inlays, as a foundation for developing a uniquely Tibetan style.
By the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries from which the present figure is dated, Tibet had undergone a cultural renaissance characterized by significant artistic development. Local workshops became increasingly sophisticated, meaning that the Buddhist community relied less on importing commissioned artworks from Kashmir as had often been done during the Second Transmission. Thus, the present figure was likely commissioned from a local workshop that followed Kashmiri casting conventions and was dedicated to creating commissions to be used in monastic ritual practices.
In keeping with Northeast Indian styles, the figure has an inscription on the base. The object is identified as a metal image (li sku) and was commissioned as a funerary offering, as indicated by the expression (thugs dgongs rdzogs). As has been demonstrated in recent scholarship, this phrase should be understood as a technical formulation referring specifically to the fulfilment of the intentions of a deceased master within the context of funerary rites, rather than in the more general sense of wish-fulfilment. The identity of the deceased master, however, is not specified in the inscription. The patron is described as a member of the Khangkar (’khang dkar ba) house or patrilineage.
Based on the syntax of the inscription, this individual appears to be identical with a fully ordained monk named Wangchuk (dbang phyug), who is explicitly said to have commissioned the image out of devotion. At present, the identity of this individual is not available in historical sources.
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the inscription also records the name of the individual responsible for executing the work. He is identified as Shérab Chöwang (shes rab chos dbang), described through the expression (lag pa’i ’du byed), literally “the one who carried out the work by hand.” This formulation, which emphasizes manual execution rather than professional designation, such as that of an artisan (bzo ba), is attested in connection with metal sculptures produced in Mustang during the 16th–17th centuries, although its use cannot be excluded in other regional contexts and periods.
Compare with a closely related example sold Sotheby's, London 5 February 1974, lot 52 and von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, p. 447, no. 132F (Sotheby’s, New York, 21 March 2002, lot 129).
We are grateful to Dr. Yannick Laurent for his assistance with the translation and interpretation for this lot.
The Kashmiri style profoundly influenced Buddhist art in Western Tibet beginning in the tenth century with the foundation of the Guge Kingdom. Located at the western extremity of the Tibetan plateau, the Guge Kingdom maintained close artistic ties with Kashmir, a connection that is supported by Rinchen Zangpo’s (958-1055) biography in which he notes that he once brought thirty-two artists from Kashmir to Western Tibet. Rinchen Zangpo, the Great Translator, was active during the Second Transmission of Buddhism in Tibet, a period which witnessed a major import of Buddhism from Northeast India into Tibet. Consequently, much of the early sculpture demonstrate a reliance on existing Indian styles, such as the application of silver and copper inlays, as a foundation for developing a uniquely Tibetan style.
By the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries from which the present figure is dated, Tibet had undergone a cultural renaissance characterized by significant artistic development. Local workshops became increasingly sophisticated, meaning that the Buddhist community relied less on importing commissioned artworks from Kashmir as had often been done during the Second Transmission. Thus, the present figure was likely commissioned from a local workshop that followed Kashmiri casting conventions and was dedicated to creating commissions to be used in monastic ritual practices.
In keeping with Northeast Indian styles, the figure has an inscription on the base. The object is identified as a metal image (li sku) and was commissioned as a funerary offering, as indicated by the expression (thugs dgongs rdzogs). As has been demonstrated in recent scholarship, this phrase should be understood as a technical formulation referring specifically to the fulfilment of the intentions of a deceased master within the context of funerary rites, rather than in the more general sense of wish-fulfilment. The identity of the deceased master, however, is not specified in the inscription. The patron is described as a member of the Khangkar (’khang dkar ba) house or patrilineage.
Based on the syntax of the inscription, this individual appears to be identical with a fully ordained monk named Wangchuk (dbang phyug), who is explicitly said to have commissioned the image out of devotion. At present, the identity of this individual is not available in historical sources.
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the inscription also records the name of the individual responsible for executing the work. He is identified as Shérab Chöwang (shes rab chos dbang), described through the expression (lag pa’i ’du byed), literally “the one who carried out the work by hand.” This formulation, which emphasizes manual execution rather than professional designation, such as that of an artisan (bzo ba), is attested in connection with metal sculptures produced in Mustang during the 16th–17th centuries, although its use cannot be excluded in other regional contexts and periods.
Compare with a closely related example sold Sotheby's, London 5 February 1974, lot 52 and von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, p. 447, no. 132F (Sotheby’s, New York, 21 March 2002, lot 129).
We are grateful to Dr. Yannick Laurent for his assistance with the translation and interpretation for this lot.