Tibet, 18th century

Saraswati, the "one with the lovely voice," is the goddess of music and poetry. Initially a Hindu deity, her image was eventually absorbed into Buddhism and became prevalent throughout Buddhist Asia as the epitome of female wisdom and the consort to the bodhisattva Manjushri. The crisp, precise casting and rich dark brown patina of the present work make it an eloquent example of an eighteenth century artist paying homage to the Pala-period aesthetic of the eleventh and twelfth century. Compare the dark patina, tall pointed crown, shape of the scarf and the proportions and style of the lotus base with a smaller twelfth century figure of a Bodhisattva from the Sporer Collection, sold at Christie’s New York on 15 September 2015 (lot 8).