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Lot Essay
Vasudhara, whose name means “stream of gems,” originated in India before the 11th century and gained popularity in the agrarian areas of the Kathmandu Valley, where she was worshiped as a goddess of fertility and the land. This resplendent sculpture of Vasudhara embodies the gently curved, languid forms of the Newari aesthetic, which is rooted in Gupta prototypes from Northeastern India. She is the Buddhist counterpart to both Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity, and to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom.
In her six arms, she holds the ratnamanjari (a sheaf of jewels), the prajnaparamita text, the dhanyamanjari (a harvest bundle), and a vase containing amrita (the elixir of immorality). Compare with a slightly earlier gilt bronze figure of Tara from a private collection (J. Casey, et al., Divine Presence: Arts of Indian and the Himalayas, 2003, p.110. pl.30) sold in these rooms on 17 October 2001, lot 65. Though standing, this comparable figure has a similarly elongated torso, with high rounded breasts centered by a jeweled necklace, and a crown with multi-foliate tiara. The contoured, softly voluminous face of the present work combined with her supple and animated physique illustrates the artist’s refined understanding of Vasudhara’s essence. She is radiant with kindness and generosity.
In her six arms, she holds the ratnamanjari (a sheaf of jewels), the prajnaparamita text, the dhanyamanjari (a harvest bundle), and a vase containing amrita (the elixir of immorality). Compare with a slightly earlier gilt bronze figure of Tara from a private collection (J. Casey, et al., Divine Presence: Arts of Indian and the Himalayas, 2003, p.110. pl.30) sold in these rooms on 17 October 2001, lot 65. Though standing, this comparable figure has a similarly elongated torso, with high rounded breasts centered by a jeweled necklace, and a crown with multi-foliate tiara. The contoured, softly voluminous face of the present work combined with her supple and animated physique illustrates the artist’s refined understanding of Vasudhara’s essence. She is radiant with kindness and generosity.