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Lot Essay
Vajradhara, the "Vajra Holder" is the supreme essence of all Buddhas, the primordial Buddha who personifies the ultimate and formless realm of the dharmakaya. Peaceful in appearance, his body is clad in the garments and jewelry of an enlightened being, wearing a tall leafed crown representing the Five Presiding Buddhas, for which he is the culminating Buddha in the Vajrayana tradition. He crosses his arm at his heart carrying the bell and vajra, signifying the union of wisdom and compassion. The features of this image, his flaming arm-bands, cabochon jewels, incised hem, elongated torso, and large lotus petals, indicate cross-currents through Tibet, where influences from Newari artists and Yuan court traditions were visually synthesized.
Tribute to Newari artists, whose visual language was deeply indebted to Pala-period artistic traditions in India, is revealed in Vajradhara's cinched waist, inlaid semi-precious stones, and flamed bands set high along the upper arms. Although abundant in ornamentation, Vajradhara retains a restraint and balance of decoration, an accomplished skill perfected during the Early Malla period of the 13th and 14th centuries in Nepal. This balance of decoration greatly influenced Tibetan works, as these aesthetics were applied to Buddhist sculptures within Inner Asia through cultural and commercial ties between Nepal and Tiet. Newari artists worked in Tibet, carrying along their casting traditions to which Tibetan art remains indebted. Comparable examples coinciding with the Early Malla periods in Nepal concurrently made in Tibet include another 14th century Vajradhara and Tara (U. von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculpture in Tibet, Vol. II, pp. 963 and 967. nos. 231E and 233B-C).
Still, the sculpture conforms to Tibetan taste. While Nepalese preferred translucent stones for insets, Tibetans chose turquoise, lapis lazuli, pearl, and coral, all aside lapis which have been applied to Vajradhara. The remnants of blue pigment in the hair attest to this sculpture's worship in Tibet. The elongated, stiffened torso, and frontal posture also indicate Tibetan aesthetics, and other examples including the Tara cited above and another Vajradhara (M. Rhie & R. Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet, 1996, p. 357, no. 147), dated slightly later, share these same proportional and hieratic choices.
Perhaps the most intriguing detail of this sculpture is the influence of Yuan court styles. The unfurling curled locks of hair, the wide lotus petals of the base, and incised hem all express the influx of Sinicized motifs into Tibetan sculpture, a development fostered by political ties and munificent exchanges of gifts between the Yuan Mongols and Sakya leaders. This syncretic style where locks unfurl in fluid swirls (c.f. The Metropolitan Museum of Art; 1988.82) appear in other caste sculptures of the period including another sold at Bonhams, Hong Kong, 5 October 2020, lot 117. Similarly wide-shaped lotus petals of Yuan style is also indicated on a 14th century sculpture (U. von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculpture in Tibet, Vol. II, p. 963, no. 231E), though this Vajradhara includes incised stamens above the base. Further, the bold floral hemmed pattern along the lower dhoti are patterns anchored in Yuan court decorations (The Metropolitan Museum of Art; 26.271.1a, b). This synthesized approach of Newari, Tibetan, and Yuan styles find parallels to another sculpture of Vajradhara (The Essence of Buddhist Statue Art, Beijing, 2006, pp. 166 and 167).
Tribute to Newari artists, whose visual language was deeply indebted to Pala-period artistic traditions in India, is revealed in Vajradhara's cinched waist, inlaid semi-precious stones, and flamed bands set high along the upper arms. Although abundant in ornamentation, Vajradhara retains a restraint and balance of decoration, an accomplished skill perfected during the Early Malla period of the 13th and 14th centuries in Nepal. This balance of decoration greatly influenced Tibetan works, as these aesthetics were applied to Buddhist sculptures within Inner Asia through cultural and commercial ties between Nepal and Tiet. Newari artists worked in Tibet, carrying along their casting traditions to which Tibetan art remains indebted. Comparable examples coinciding with the Early Malla periods in Nepal concurrently made in Tibet include another 14th century Vajradhara and Tara (U. von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculpture in Tibet, Vol. II, pp. 963 and 967. nos. 231E and 233B-C).
Still, the sculpture conforms to Tibetan taste. While Nepalese preferred translucent stones for insets, Tibetans chose turquoise, lapis lazuli, pearl, and coral, all aside lapis which have been applied to Vajradhara. The remnants of blue pigment in the hair attest to this sculpture's worship in Tibet. The elongated, stiffened torso, and frontal posture also indicate Tibetan aesthetics, and other examples including the Tara cited above and another Vajradhara (M. Rhie & R. Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet, 1996, p. 357, no. 147), dated slightly later, share these same proportional and hieratic choices.
Perhaps the most intriguing detail of this sculpture is the influence of Yuan court styles. The unfurling curled locks of hair, the wide lotus petals of the base, and incised hem all express the influx of Sinicized motifs into Tibetan sculpture, a development fostered by political ties and munificent exchanges of gifts between the Yuan Mongols and Sakya leaders. This syncretic style where locks unfurl in fluid swirls (c.f. The Metropolitan Museum of Art; 1988.82) appear in other caste sculptures of the period including another sold at Bonhams, Hong Kong, 5 October 2020, lot 117. Similarly wide-shaped lotus petals of Yuan style is also indicated on a 14th century sculpture (U. von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculpture in Tibet, Vol. II, p. 963, no. 231E), though this Vajradhara includes incised stamens above the base. Further, the bold floral hemmed pattern along the lower dhoti are patterns anchored in Yuan court decorations (The Metropolitan Museum of Art; 26.271.1a, b). This synthesized approach of Newari, Tibetan, and Yuan styles find parallels to another sculpture of Vajradhara (The Essence of Buddhist Statue Art, Beijing, 2006, pp. 166 and 167).