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Lot Essay
The goddess of longevity sits upon a lotus base in dhyanasana with her right hand gently resting on her knee in varadamudra and her left in vitarkamudra, holding what would have been the stem of a lotus. She wears a diaphanous dhoti which drapes over her legs and spills onto her throne, and a delicate scarf covering her shoulders. The simplicity of her jewelry - a single-strand necklace, arm and wrist bands, circular earrings and a five-tiered crown - demonstrates the artist's emphasis on expertly modeled form over embellishment. The contours of her body are rounded and soft, with special attention paid to her finely rendered hands and feet. Her exquisitely carved facial features make her appear almost human, while the slight tilt of her head lends her an air of approachability, inviting the viewer to meet her intimate gaze. Every feature of this small masterpiece is meant to convey the gentle essence of the benevolent goddess.
Composed of several small pieces of wood flawlessly joined together, this elegant work exhibits several features which relate to the Zanabazar school sculptural style. While there is a well-documented tradition of wooden figural carving in Tibet, there are few examples of wooden figures from Zanabazar Mongolia and for that reason, we cannot be sure of the origin of this rare work. Perhaps the creation of a Tibetan artist who was looking at Zanabazar prototypes, it is likely the sculptor was influenced by the Zanabazar aesthetic. The wide, deeply carved petals of the lotus base are very similar to those of a Zanabazar school bronze figure of Machig Labdron (A. & F. Rossi, Treasures from Mongolia: Buddhist sculpture from the School of Zanabazar, London, 2005, cat.no.15). The modeling of the physiognomy, particularly the uprightness of the body and the full rounded contours are nearly identical to a Zanabazar school gilt bronze figure of Sitatapatra (op. cit., cat.no.18). The face, which is carved with portrait-like sensitivity, seems to be based on a living model, perhaps the artist’s sister or wife. Each of these elements blends together, transcending stylistic conformity to become the unique vision of a master artist.
Composed of several small pieces of wood flawlessly joined together, this elegant work exhibits several features which relate to the Zanabazar school sculptural style. While there is a well-documented tradition of wooden figural carving in Tibet, there are few examples of wooden figures from Zanabazar Mongolia and for that reason, we cannot be sure of the origin of this rare work. Perhaps the creation of a Tibetan artist who was looking at Zanabazar prototypes, it is likely the sculptor was influenced by the Zanabazar aesthetic. The wide, deeply carved petals of the lotus base are very similar to those of a Zanabazar school bronze figure of Machig Labdron (A. & F. Rossi, Treasures from Mongolia: Buddhist sculpture from the School of Zanabazar, London, 2005, cat.no.15). The modeling of the physiognomy, particularly the uprightness of the body and the full rounded contours are nearly identical to a Zanabazar school gilt bronze figure of Sitatapatra (op. cit., cat.no.18). The face, which is carved with portrait-like sensitivity, seems to be based on a living model, perhaps the artist’s sister or wife. Each of these elements blends together, transcending stylistic conformity to become the unique vision of a master artist.