.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Regarded as the female boddhisatva, Tara is one of the most widely worshipped female figures of Buddhism - a savior-goddess who is revered for the protection and guidance she offers on the path toward enlightenment. Tara exists in 21 forms, each representing specific qualities or actions, with the Green Tara, being one of the more commonly depicted, associated with protection from fear.
As a teenager Hanspeter Burkhart was captivated by Rudyard Kipling's novel "Kim", where his fascination for Asia and Buddhist philosophy began. A successful Swiss lawyer by profession, he began to collect Tibetan art from the mid 1980s. Images of Tara held a particular appeal, he enjoyed the variations on a theme, the fine detail and execution, pieces that could be fondled, their beauty and feeling. This also led to a friendship with Berti Aschmann as a leading advisor and collector in the field. With her collection now at the Rietberg Museum in Zurich, he realized that every collector must also be able to let go. From his new base in Thailand, where Buddhist art is also considered something to share, he is happy to see the pieces he has loved and cherished pass on into other hands and enrich the life of someone new.
As a teenager Hanspeter Burkhart was captivated by Rudyard Kipling's novel "Kim", where his fascination for Asia and Buddhist philosophy began. A successful Swiss lawyer by profession, he began to collect Tibetan art from the mid 1980s. Images of Tara held a particular appeal, he enjoyed the variations on a theme, the fine detail and execution, pieces that could be fondled, their beauty and feeling. This also led to a friendship with Berti Aschmann as a leading advisor and collector in the field. With her collection now at the Rietberg Museum in Zurich, he realized that every collector must also be able to let go. From his new base in Thailand, where Buddhist art is also considered something to share, he is happy to see the pieces he has loved and cherished pass on into other hands and enrich the life of someone new.