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Click here to subscribeA Japanese bronze incense burner (koro) and pierced domed cover surmounted by a guardian lion (komainu) finial, the vessel cast in high relief with pine trees and god of longevity Jurojin against diaper patterned panels, standing on three shaped feet, Meiji/Taisho period, 14.5 cm high (damaged)
CONSTANTIN MEUNIER (1831-1905)L'industrie Signé en bas à droiteBronze à patine verteRechts onderaan getekendBrons met groene patinaSigned lower rightBronze with green patina55 x 40 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée / Privé collectie, France.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
CONSTANTIN MEUNIER (1831-1905)Semeur Signé sur la terrasseCachet de la Fonderie Verbeyst, BruxellesBronze à patine foncéeGetekend op de basisStempel van de gieterij «Fonderie Verbeyst»Brons met donkere patinaSigned on the terraceStamp of the Verbeyst Foundry, BrusselsBronze with dark patinaH: 59 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée / Privé collectie, FranceFor further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
CESAR BALDACCINI (DIT CESAR) (1921-1998)Poulette III 1987Signé 'César'Numéroté '3/8'Bronze à patine bruneGetekend 'César'Genummerd '3/8'BronsSigned 'César'Numbered 3/8Bronze17.5 x 10 x 8.3cmFootnotes:Cette œuvre est enregistrée aux Archives de Madame Denyse Durand-Ruel sous le numéro 3396Provenance/Herkomst:Collection privée / Privé collectie, Belgique.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Un pourcentage supplémentaire sera demander aux acquéreurs pour les lots précédés du symbole AR correspondant aux droits de suite aux artistes en vertu de la réglementation de 2006 sur le droit d'auteur. Veuillez vous référer aux conditions de ventes pour plus de détails.De koper is ons een extra premie verschuldigd ter dekking van onze kosten in verband met de betaling van royalty's krachtens de Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. Zie onze algemene voorwaarden voor meer informatie.An Additional Premium will be payable to us by the Buyer to cover our Expenses relating to payment of royalties under the Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. See our terms and conditions for further details.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
JACQUES MOESCHAL (1913-2004)Signal dans le désert du Néguev 1962-2018Monogrammé à la baseBronze doréOp de basis gemonogrammeerdVerguld bronsMonogrammed on the baseGilt bronze68 cmFootnotes:L'oeuvre qui est le numéro 3/8 est accompagnée d'un certificat. Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée, Privé collectie, Belgique.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Un pourcentage supplémentaire sera demander aux acquéreurs pour les lots précédés du symbole AR correspondant aux droits de suite aux artistes en vertu de la réglementation de 2006 sur le droit d'auteur. Veuillez vous référer aux conditions de ventes pour plus de détails.De koper is ons een extra premie verschuldigd ter dekking van onze kosten in verband met de betaling van royalty's krachtens de Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. Zie onze algemene voorwaarden voor meer informatie.An Additional Premium will be payable to us by the Buyer to cover our Expenses relating to payment of royalties under the Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. See our terms and conditions for further details.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
OLIVIER STREBELLE (1927-2017)L'autre baiser 1963Signé et daté sur la baseBronze. Edition de 6Op de basis getekend en gedateerdBrons.Editie van 6Signed and dated on the baseBronze. Edition of 6108 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection Wylie Woodruff-Bryers, GenèveCollection Fimbrux SA, BruxellesCollection privée, VaduzThis lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * AR* TVA sur les articles importés à un taux préférentiel de 6 % sur le Prix d'adjudication et au taux en vigueur sur la Commission d'achat.BTW op ingevoerde goederen tegen een preferentieel tarief van 6% op de inschrijvingsprijs en het geldende tarief op de aankoopprovisie.VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 6% on hammer price and the prevailing rate on buyer's premium.AR Un pourcentage supplémentaire sera demander aux acquéreurs pour les lots précédés du symbole AR correspondant aux droits de suite aux artistes en vertu de la réglementation de 2006 sur le droit d'auteur. Veuillez vous référer aux conditions de ventes pour plus de détails.De koper is ons een extra premie verschuldigd ter dekking van onze kosten in verband met de betaling van royalty's krachtens de Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. Zie onze algemene voorwaarden voor meer informatie.An Additional Premium will be payable to us by the Buyer to cover our Expenses relating to payment of royalties under the Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. See our terms and conditions for further details.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
JEAN-PIERRE GHYSELS (born 1932)Insolite 1969Signé et numéroté 7/7 Bronze à patine doréeGetekend en genummerd 7/7 Brons met gouden patinaSigned and numbered 7/7 Bronze with golden patina14 x 14,5 x 13,5 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée, Privé collectie, Belgique.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Un pourcentage supplémentaire sera demander aux acquéreurs pour les lots précédés du symbole AR correspondant aux droits de suite aux artistes en vertu de la réglementation de 2006 sur le droit d'auteur. Veuillez vous référer aux conditions de ventes pour plus de détails.De koper is ons een extra premie verschuldigd ter dekking van onze kosten in verband met de betaling van royalty's krachtens de Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. Zie onze algemene voorwaarden voor meer informatie.An Additional Premium will be payable to us by the Buyer to cover our Expenses relating to payment of royalties under the Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. See our terms and conditions for further details.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
CONSTANTIN MEUNIER (1831-1905)Profil de mineur Signé en haut à droiteBronze à patine foncée sur panneau de boisRechts bovenaan getekendBrons met donkere patina op houten paneelSigned upper rightBronze with dark patina on wood panel41 x 32 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée / Privé collectie, FranceFor further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
SACHA SOSNO (1937-2013) Sans titre 1988Signé, daté et numéroté 2/8 au dosBronze à patine dorée et marbreGetekend, gedateerd en genummerd 2/8 op de achterkantBrons met gouden patinaSigned, dated and numbered 2/8 on the backBronze with golden patina and marble15 x 17 x 10 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée / Privé collectie, Belgique.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Un pourcentage supplémentaire sera demander aux acquéreurs pour les lots précédés du symbole AR correspondant aux droits de suite aux artistes en vertu de la réglementation de 2006 sur le droit d'auteur. Veuillez vous référer aux conditions de ventes pour plus de détails.De koper is ons een extra premie verschuldigd ter dekking van onze kosten in verband met de betaling van royalty's krachtens de Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. Zie onze algemene voorwaarden voor meer informatie.An Additional Premium will be payable to us by the Buyer to cover our Expenses relating to payment of royalties under the Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. See our terms and conditions for further details.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
RIK POOT (1924-2007)Cheval assis Signé et numéroté 7/7Bronze doréGetekend en genummerd 7/7Verguld bronsSigned and numbered 7/7Gilt bronze20 x 30 x 15 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée, Privé collectie, Belgique.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Un pourcentage supplémentaire sera demander aux acquéreurs pour les lots précédés du symbole AR correspondant aux droits de suite aux artistes en vertu de la réglementation de 2006 sur le droit d'auteur. Veuillez vous référer aux conditions de ventes pour plus de détails.De koper is ons een extra premie verschuldigd ter dekking van onze kosten in verband met de betaling van royalty's krachtens de Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. Zie onze algemene voorwaarden voor meer informatie.An Additional Premium will be payable to us by the Buyer to cover our Expenses relating to payment of royalties under the Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. See our terms and conditions for further details.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
CONSTANTIN MEUNIER (1831-1905)Juin (ou le faucheurs au repos) 1898Signé sur la terrasseCachet de la Fonderie Verbeyst, Bruxelles et «Atelier 59, rue de l'Abbaye»Bronze à patine foncéeGetekend op de basisStempel van de gieterij «Fonderie Verbeyst» en «Atelier 59, rue del'Abbaye»Brons met donkere patinaSigned on the terraceStamp of the Verbeyst Foundry, Brussels and «Atelier 59, rue de l'Abbaye» Bronze with dark patinaH: 59 cmFootnotes:Provenance / HerkomstCollection privée / Privé collectie, FranceFor further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
IVAN THEIMER (born 1944)Hercule aux serpents 1990Signé, daté et numéroté 4/8 sur la baseBronzeGetekend, gedateerd en genummerd 4/8 op de basisBronsSigned, dated and numbered 4/8 on the baseBronze25 x 40 x 12 cmFootnotes:Exposition / Tentoonstelling06-08/1991: Galerie Le Point, Monte-Carlo. Ill en couleurs dans le catalogue. Provenance / HerkomstGalerie Le Point, Monte-CarloCollection Fimbrux SA, BruxellesCollection privée, VaduzThis lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * AR* TVA sur les articles importés à un taux préférentiel de 6 % sur le Prix d'adjudication et au taux en vigueur sur la Commission d'achat.BTW op ingevoerde goederen tegen een preferentieel tarief van 6% op de inschrijvingsprijs en het geldende tarief op de aankoopprovisie.VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 6% on hammer price and the prevailing rate on buyer's premium.AR Un pourcentage supplémentaire sera demander aux acquéreurs pour les lots précédés du symbole AR correspondant aux droits de suite aux artistes en vertu de la réglementation de 2006 sur le droit d'auteur. Veuillez vous référer aux conditions de ventes pour plus de détails.De koper is ons een extra premie verschuldigd ter dekking van onze kosten in verband met de betaling van royalty's krachtens de Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. Zie onze algemene voorwaarden voor meer informatie.An Additional Premium will be payable to us by the Buyer to cover our Expenses relating to payment of royalties under the Artists Resale Right Regulations 2006. See our terms and conditions for further details.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE D'AVALOKITESHVARA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVREVALLÉE DE SWAT, VIIE/VIIIE SIÈCLE Himalayan Art Resources item no. 1446 10.5 cm (4 1/8 in.) high Footnotes:A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA SWAT VALLEY, 7TH/8TH CENTURY斯瓦特 七/八世紀 觀音銅像 Located in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains in modern-day Pakistan, the Swat Valley became a haven for monastic communities fleeing from invading Huns and their persecution of Buddhism in ancient Gandhara during the 5th century. Buddhist bronzes from Swat therefore constitute an important artistic and religious link between the former Gandharan civilization, the Gupta period of Northern India, and the rising states of Kashmir, Gilgit, and Western Tibet. Although much of the Greco-Roman realism that informed Gandharan art is lost here, the confident posture, downcast expression, and pleated lower garment recall some of Gandharan art's key idioms, as well as those from the Gupta period of North India (4th-6th centuries). Several stylistic features of the present sculpture are consistent with other early Swat Valley images attributed to the 7th century. Two other Swat figures of similar quality depicting the same deity can be found in the Cleveland Museum of Art (1971.20), and in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (EA1997.250). Furthermore, Avalokiteshvara's tripartite crown and dark, lustrous patina with green and reddish hues are comparable in appearance to a bronze Maitreya from the Pan-Asian Collection, sold at Christie's, New York, 21 September 2007, lot 229.Published:John Siudmak, Indian and Himalayan Sculpture and Thangkas from the Late Simon Digby Collection, 2011, no. 24. Provenance:Sotheby's, London, 24 April 1990, lot 45 Simon Digby Collection John Siudmak, London, 2011 Private European CollectionFor further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE D'AMITAYUS EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉATTRIBUÉ À SONAM GYALTSEN (A. XVE SIÈCLE), SHIGATSE, TIBET CENTRAL, VERS 1430-40Himalayan Art Resources item no. 16792 43 cm (17 in.) high Footnotes:A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AMITAYUSATTRIBUTED TO SONAM GYALTSEN (A. 15TH CENTURY),SHIGATSE, CENTRAL TIBET, CIRCA 1430-40 日喀則 藏中 約1430-1440年 銅鎏金無量壽佛像 應為索南堅贊之作 Provenance:Sotheby's Parke-Bernet, New York, 23 May 1979, lot 85 Navin Kumar, New York A French Private Collection, Paris, acquired from the above on 31 August 1984 Christie's, Paris, 19 December 2012, lot 209 An Important Asian Private Collection Published: Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p. 446, no. 121A.This magnificent gilt-bronze figure of Amitayus bears all the hallmarks of the exceptional master-craftsmanship of one of the greatest known artists in Tibet, active during the first half of the 15th century, namely, the master craftsman Sonam Gyaltsen. The attribution to Sonam Gyaltsen is demonstrated in the evident similarities to the gilt-copper alloy figure of Avalokiteshvara Sahasrabhuja Ekadasamukha, circa 1430, identified by inscription to have been made by Sonam Gyaltsen, which was sold at Bonhams, New York, 19 March 2018, lot 3033. These close similarities are manifest in the comparable facial features, the turquoise-inset jewelry, the incised decoration, and lotus lappets: Gyaltsen completes his bronze's lotus petals in the round with symmetrically curling plump inner corolla on top of swelled outer petals with pointed tips. Gyaltsen lightly engraves Amitayus' silks with auspicious symbols. He models Amitayus with slender physiognomy. The hair is distinctively arranged into a fringe of rounded curls before the crown. Gyaltsen apportions the jewelry with restraint, such that small turquoise settings brilliantly lead the eye over the body without distracting from its alluring suppleness. Lastly, in the handsome face, Gyaltsen elegantly captures the benevolent and restful essence of Amitayus. As noted in the inscription of the Sonam Gyaltsen Avalokiteshvara, the master craftsman had the patronage of the Rinpung dynasty and more specifically the third monarch, Norbu Zangpo (1403-66) who ruled between 1435 and 1466. The dynasty's seat of power was in Shigatse, Tsang Province in Central Tibet, and its rulers mostly patronized the Sakya order. This figure was created at the culmination of the foundation or enlargement of Jamchen Chode monastery near Shigatse, circa 1430. It is therefore possible that the present figure of Amitayus was also created as part of the project for the Jamchen monastery. While the Bonhams Avalokiteshvara remains the only known inscribed figure identified by inscription to be by Sonam Gyaltsen, it allows us to attribute other important sculptures in public and private collections to the great master. Compare with images of Guhyamanjuvajra and Vajrabhairava in the Rietberg Museum, Zurich (Uhlig, On the Path to Enlightenment, 1995, pp. 170-1, nos. 113 & 114), which closely match the present sculpture's lotus petals, rich gilding, and densely encrusted jewelry. Also see an image of White Tara wearing a similar peaceful expression and cloud-collar over her shoulders (HAR 21448). Attributed to Sonam Gyaltsen: A Magnificent Figure of Amitayus by Jeff Watt, Director and Chief Curator of Himalayan Art Resources (HAR)
STATUETTE DU BOUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI EN LAITON AVEC INCRUSTATION D'ARGENT ET DE CUIVRECACHEMIRE, VIIIE SIÈCLE Himalayan Art Resources item no. 1452 12.7 cm (5 in.) highFootnotes:A SILVER AND COPPER INLAID BRASS FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA KASHMIR, 8TH CENTURY 克什米爾 八世紀 錯銀錯紅銅釋迦牟尼銅像 This intimate casting of the historical Buddha depicts him with his hands in the gesture of 'Turning the Wheel of the Dharma'. This mudra, in addition to his rounded features and the even ripples of his robe accentuating his athletic physique, are typical of images that were produced in Kashmir around the 7th to 9th centuries. See similarly dated examples in von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Vol. I, 2001, pp. 94-5 & 107-9, nos. 15A-C & 19A-C. Here, the craggy, mountain platform in which Shakyamuni sits upon with a lone lion resting below is a detail shared by a Vajrapani image in the Cleveland Museum of Art (1971.14) and a crowned Buddha image published in ibid, p. 117, nos. 23E-F. Additionally, a teaching Buddha dated to 712 and preserved in the Dangkhar monastery in Spiti shares the same unusual adornment of irregularly spaced copper inlays on the platform (see Laurant, 'lha bla ma Zhi ba 'od's Eighth Century Bronze from Gilgit', in Revue d'Etudes Tibétaines 26, 2013, pp. 211-2, figs. 1-4). Also compare with an example from the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, p. 117, no. 15E; M.69.13.5). The celebrated enthroned Buddha in the Norton Simon Foundation, bearing a dated inscription corresponding to 694, shares a similar inlaid cushion and treatment of the robe to the present lot (F.1972.48.2.S; ibid, pp. 98 & 118, no. 16A).Provenance:Private French Collection, acquired 1980sFor further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE D'AVALOKITESHVARA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE AVEC INCRUSTATION D'ARGENTCACHEMIRE, VERS XE SIÈCLE Himalayan Art Resources item no. 1453 42 cm (16 1/2 in.) highFootnotes:A SILVER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA KASHMIR, CIRCA 10TH CENTURY 克什米爾 約十世紀 銅錯銀觀音像 Standing tall over a lotus plinth, Avalokiteshvara grips the stem of a flower blossoming over his left shoulder. An effigy of Amitabha seated within the crown's center and the antelope skin draped around his muscular torso confirm the deity's attribution as the bodhisattva of Compassion (see von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculpture in Tibet, Vol. I, 2001, p. 163, no. 45C). Kashmir bronzes echo earlier styles of the Gupta period (4th-6th centuries), demonstrated by its contrapposto, pronounced lower lip, and fleshy cheeks. These images are also noted for their silver inlaid eyes, flaming aureoles, and foot placement over the pedestal's edge, as seen on a bronze sold at Bonhams, Paris, 14 June 2022, lot 29, as well as two images published in von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, pp. 123-4, nos. 18F & 19B. Lastly, compare the stupa dome in the crown and the flattened lotus petals of the plinth to a seated Buddha image in the Pan-Asian collection (ibid, p. 20, no. 19E).Exhibited: Rossi and Rossi, Fine Art Asia, Hong Kong, 3-7 October 2011 Provenance: Private Collection, Switzerland, acquired early 1990sThis lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a reduced rate of 5.5% on the hammer price and the prevailing rate on buyer's premium if the item remains in EU. TVA sur les objets importés à un taux réduit de 5.5% sur le prix d'adjudication et un taux en vigueur sur la prime d'achat dans le cas où l'objet reste dans l'Union Européenne.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DE BOUDDHA ENSEIGNANT EN OR SUR UN TRÔNE EN ARGENTJAVA, IXE/XE SIÈCLEImage: 6.8 cm (2 5/8 in.) high; Throne: 14 cm ( 5 1/2 in.) highFootnotes:A GOLD FIGURE OF TEACHING BUDDHA ON A SILVER THRONEJAVA, 9TH/10TH CENTURY 爪哇 九/十世紀 說法佛金像並銀座Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sWith hands joined at the heart in the gesture of teaching, or turning the wheel of dharma, this rare, solid gold Buddha is cast with the customary squat proportions, tall domed head of curls, and prominent ushnisha during the height of Buddhist culture in Java at the end of the 9th century. The gold Buddha is paired with a silver throne with a lattice back-panel and disc umbrella to protect the Buddha.Compare to another gold Buddha on a contrasting throne in bronze (Miksic, Old Javanese Gold: The Hunter Thompson Collection at the Yale University Art Gallery, 2011, p. 220, fig. 84). Compare also to a gold figure of Tara, seated on a silver throne in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (57.2282).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE D'AVALOKITESHVARA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVREVALLÉE DE SWAT, VIIE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4895 10.8 cm (4 1/4 in.) highFootnotes:A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARASWAT VALLEY, 7TH CENTURY斯瓦特 七世紀 觀音銅像 Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sElegantly holding the stem of the lotus flower between the thumb and fingers of his left hand, this bronze of Avalokiteshvara illustrates the sophisticated and well-balanced details of Swat Valley bronzes. The waisted double lotus base, pleated lower garment, athletic build, singular oval earring, and fan-like coiffure are distinctive elements of this Swat Valley style, which adopted a syncretic blend of art coming from the Kushans, Guptas, and Sasanians. The verdant Swat Valley fell within the cultural boundaries of Gandhara and its Indo-Greek Buddhist culture which emerged after the invasion of Alexander the Great in 327 BCE. Populated with monastic complexes, this region became a significant locus for the spread of Buddhism throughout the Himalayas, specifically propagating the tenets of Mahayana Buddhism through the bodhisattva path to enlightenment. These enlightened beings, like Avalokiteshvara represented here, aid all sentient beings along their spiritual path.The manner in which this figure of Avalokiteshvara hold the diagnostic lotus flower carried over from Swat into Kashmir, Western Tibet, and farther east. Compare to another bodhisattva with similar features sold at Sotheby's, London, 10 March 1986, lot 96. Another image of the same deity with similar physical proportions is illustrated in Jongeward, Buddhist Art of Gandhara: In the Ashmolean Museum, 2019, p. 158, no. 132.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DE BOUDDHA DIPANKARA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE ET BOIS POLYCHROMENÉPAL, VERS XVIE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4819 39.7 cm (15 5/8) highFootnotes:A COPPER ALLOY AND POLYCHROMED WOOD FIGURE OF DIPANKARA BUDDHANEPAL, CIRCA 16TH CENTURY尼泊爾 約十六世紀 銅及木雕彩繪燃燈佛像Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1968Dipankara, the Buddha of the Past, is celebrated among Newar Buddhists as a protector of merchants. This most distinctive sculpture was made by combining a carved wood body with finely cast copper alloy feet, hands, and head. Although Dipankara's handsome face and clinging robe trace their stylistic origin to Gupta Indian sculpture of the 4th-to-6th century, its thinner lips and the curvaceous treatment of the waist suggest this figure is a c. 16th-century homage to the Newar's aesthetic heritage. The facial modelling of a large Nepalese bronze Buddha from the 10th century, in the Zhiguan Museum of Fine Art, also resembles that of the present work, further attesting to the Newar's conservative tradition and enduring standards of craftsmanship (The Light of the Buddha, 2019, pp. 236-41, no. 57; HAR 8082).Related wood sculpture include a Crowned Buddha in the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Berlin (I 10069), and another mixed wood and bronze image of Dipankara from the late Malla period in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond (2018.97), to which the present sculpture's sensuous modelling compares favorably.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DE JNANATAPA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉ AVEC INCRUSTATION D'ARGENTTIBET, XIVE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4802 15.5 cm (6 1/8 in.) highFootnotes:A SILVER INLAID GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF JNANATAPATIBET, 14TH CENTURY西藏 十四世紀 銅錯銀鎏金迦那塔帕像Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sJnanatapa ('Heat of Wisdom'), one of the great mahasiddhas (accomplished masters), is depicted here as the only known sculptural example of this subject. The lion-topped incised jewel box held in his left hand identifies his personage, though little of his mystical hagiography is recorded, unlike other depictions of the siddhas. Nevertheless, the folded legs of his yogic posture, rotund belly, intensely wide-eyed gaze, and long hair tightly pulled into a top-knot echo his Indian paragons of spiritually accomplished and eccentric trickster-saints. There are only a handful of depictions of this subject. The most poignant example is a 14th century Taklung painting identifying the central figure by inscription as Jnanatapa, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1987.144). Onpo Kama Rinpoche (1251-96), a lama from the Taklung Kagyu tradition and the first abbot of the Riwoche monastery in Eastern Tibet, was recognized as the emanation of this mahasiddha, linking the founder of this lineage to a pure and authenticated Indian source. Spiritual legitimacy within Tibetan orders was predicated on an unbroken chain of Buddhist teachings linking these tantric Indian masters as emanations of divine Buddhas. Given the time frame of this bronze and the connection of this saint to the Taklung tradition, it is possible that this sculpture was also directly connected to Riwoche monastery.The liveliness of the figure finds its aesthetic origins from the craftsmanship of Newari artists. The rounded figural form of the body and decorative beaded garlands, jewelry, and Pala-inspired flaming pendants, resemble coinciding Newari sculptures, including an image of the mahasiddha Virupa, sold at Bonhams, New York, 7 October 2019, lot 802. Newari artisans, whose metalworking traditions were widely-known and highly valued, saw a continuation of active sponsorship by Tibetans well into the 14th century.The chased details under the beaded girdle and the densely packed lotus leaves along the front of the base suggest the artistic exchanges held between Tibet and the courts of the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). The decorative cadence of the floral and Buddhist emblems along the lower garment resemble the fluidity and scrollwork seen on Yuan textiles (see an example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1988.296). Similar designs are also reproduced on several sculptures attributed to the Yuan dynasty (Bigler, Before Yongle, 2013, pp. 84-95, nos. 19-21). Lastly, compare the plump, scroll-tipped petals of a bronze from the Claude de Marteau Collection, Part 2, sold at Bonhams, Paris, 4 October 2022, lot 9.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DE VISHNU EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVREINDE DU SUD, DÉBUT DE L'ÉPOQUE CHOLA, XE SIÈCLE26 cm (10 1/4 in.) highFootnotes:A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VISHNUSOUTH INDIA, EARLY CHOLA PERIOD, 10TH CENTURY印度南部 朱羅王朝早期 十世紀 毗濕奴銅像Published:Arman Neven, Sculpture des Indes, Brussels, 1978, p. 107, no. 39.Exhibited:Sculpture des Indes, Société Générale de Banque, Brussels, 8 December 1978 - 31 January 1979.Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1969Vishnu, the Preserver, is identifiable by his militant attributes of the chakra (discus), shankha (conch), gada (mace), and with his lower right hand in abhaya mudra (the gesture of allaying fear). He stands in a frontal pose in iconometric symmetry, proportionally articulated with the measurements assigned to divine beings. Here, his hieratic proportions in fine counterpoise and distinctive ornamentation draws inspiration from the classic Pallava period (275-897) through its simple, elongated forms. The cylindrical crown type and long torso are shared by another Pallava image of Vishnu in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2015.147), showing a resonance of this previous dynasty that carried into early Chola art. Nevertheless, this new dynasty did not adhere to a strict carryover of earlier Pallava styles, but used them to inform bronzes that became more robust in proportion and stylized in ornamentation. For example, the chakra at the back of the head becomes a larger lotus shape from its predecessors, and the hair that once fanned out in long sinewy strands at the back of the head, become shorter and tighter in the early Chola period, as illustrated here and on another bronze of the same dating in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1987.142.68). The sacred thread running across the front of the chest becomes more sinewy, the accompanying threads and clasp more elaborate, the necklace broader, the band around the waist thicker, and the tassels and central loop more mannered in early Chola bronzes, as depicted on both this sculpture and one in the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena (M.1973.1.1.S).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DE JAMBHUPATI COURONNÉ EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVREBIRMANIE, XVIIIE/XIXE SIÈCLE36.8 cm (14 1/2 in.) highFootnotes:A COPPER ALLOY CROWNED JAMBHUPATIBURMA, 18TH/19TH CENTURY緬甸 十八/十九世紀 寶冠佛銅像Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sSeated in bhumisparsha mudra on a deeply waisted double lotus base is a Buddha wearing an elaborate crown. Crowned Buddha images first appear in East India. However, this remarkable headdress is distinctly Burmese, emerging initially in paintings and reliefs of the late-Pagan period. A similar larger bronze can be found in the British Museum (OA.1969.2-11.1), and another published in Pal, Sensuous Immortals, 1978, p. 157, no. 92b.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DU CINQUIÈME SAKYA TRIDZIN, JETSUN DRAGPA GYALTSEN, EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉATTRIBUÉ À TSUGTOR (A. XVE SIÈCLE), TIBET, VERS 1479A Tibetan inscription identifying the subject, front center on the top of the lotus base, translated, 'Homage to Jetsun Dragpa'.Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4811treasuryoflives.org no. P1614 31.7 cm (12 1/2 in.) highFootnotes:A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF THE FIFTH SAKYA TRIDZIN, JETSUN DRAGPA GYALTSEN ATTRIBUTED TO TSUGTOR (A. 15TH CENTURY), TIBET, CIRCA 1479西藏 約1479年 銅鎏金五世薩迦法王扎巴堅贊像 應為珠多之作（活躍於十五世紀）Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sThis outstanding gilded bronze depicts Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), the Fifth Tridzin (Throne Holder) of the Sakya order of Tibetan Buddhism. Its caster, almost certainly a master artist named Tsugtor (a. 15th century) working for a Tibetan royal patron, reflects Dragpa Gyaltsen's quintessential portrait, recognizable for the shorn cut, groomed facial hair, and full-sleeved layman's cloak emblazoned with the Eight Auspicious Symbols (ashtamangala). Also regarded as the third of the Five Founding Fathers of the Sakya tradition (Jetsun Gongma Nga), Dragpa Gyaltsen is revered as a peerless tantric master believed to have conversed at times directly with tantric deities while developing many of the Sakya's core teachings (Dinwiddie (ed.), Portraits of the Masters, 2003, p. 207). As his impact in the field of tantric theory and practice would never be surpassed in the Sakya tradition, he is often represented with the same attributes and pose—crossing the vajra and ghanta before his chest—as the Primordial Buddha Vajradhara, who is considered the divine progenitor of most tantric cycles. This magnificent portrait can be attributed to the Tsugtor, who is known to have created gilt bronzes around 1479 for Sakyong Ayi Sengge, a prince of Mustang, which at the time was a wealthy, semi-independent kingdom controlling an important trade route linking Tibet and India. This information came to light through inscriptions naming artist and patron on two bronzes studied by Amy Heller. Undoubtedly from the same workshop as the present sculpture, both bronzes depict the Fourth Abbot of Ngor monastery, Gyaltshap Kunga Wangchuk (1424-78), and were offered at Sotheby's, New York, 19 March 2008, lots 306 & 307 (HAR 12576 & 12577). Gyaltshap Kunga Wangchuk collectively spent over a decade in Mustang before passing away there in 1478. The inscriptions indicate the portraits were royally commissioned in memoriam the following year in 1479, which appears to coincide with an historical record of golden statues being made for the lama's memorial ceremonies (after Heller; see the Ngor Abbots Lineage biographies, Ngor gdan rabs nor bu phreng ba, composed c. 1700, and see also Jackson, 'Sources on the Chronology and Succession of the Abbots of Ngor E-vam chos-Idan', in Berliner Indologische Studien, 1989, vol. 4/5, pp. 49-94). The two commemorative portraits appeared at auction alongside two further bronzes (lots 304 & 305; HAR 12574 & 12575), depicting Shang Kongchog Pel (1250-1317) and Dragpugpa Sonam Pel (1277-1350), that are stylistically identical to the present lot and clearly belong to the same initial set representing the lamdre lineage masters of the Sakya order. Manifest in the present sculpture of Dragpa Gyaltsen, Tsugtor evidently drew from the Tibeto-Chinese stylistic tradition of the Yongle period (1403-24). For example, the robe's pleating over Dragpa Gyaltsen's legs, the heavy beading around the lotus base, the compact treatment of the petals with trifurcating tips, and the master's sweet, downcast expression all recall Yongle idioms, as exhibited by sculptures of Maitreya and Vajrapani in the Rietberg Museum, Zurich (Uhlig, On the Path to Enlightenment, 1995, pp. 87 & 107, nos. 42 & 59). The location of the Tibetan inscription on top of the base before the feet of Dragpa Gyaltsen also echoes the practice of engraving reign marks on imperial bronzes that are thought to have been dispatched as diplomatic gifts to prominent Tibetan monasteries. However, the chased motifs embellishing Dragpa Gyaltsen's cuffs and cloud collar, while redolent of luxurious Chinese silks, reflect a Tibetan taste for patterning the textiles in gilt bronze sculptures which was never used by early Ming imperial workshops. In both form and technique, these symbols correspond to similar patterning known definitively to have been practiced in Shigatse, Central Tibet, from the work of another identified master artist, named Sonam Gyaltsen, working for local royal patrons of the Sakya order earlier in c. 1430 (See Watt in Bonhams, New York, 19 March 2018, lot 3033). Mustang is generally not known for gilded bronzes, and both the inscriptional evidence within the Gyaltshap Kunga Wangchuk portraits and these stylistic and technical features might place Tsugtor at a workshop in Shitgatse, not Mustang, and where Ngor monastery commissioned its bronzes as well. The present Dragpa Gyaltsen, therefore, offers a rare and important ability to localize these inspired artistic exchanges between China and Tibet in the 15th century, in addition to being among the most substantial and exquisitely modelled gilt bronze portraits of a Tibetan hierarch to ever appear on the market.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DE CHAKRASAMVARA ET VAJRAVARHI EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉ ET ARGENT REPOUSSÉTIBET, XVE/XVIE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4884 20.3 cm (8 in.) highFootnotes:A GILT COPPER ALLOY AND SILVER REPOUSSÉ FIGURE OF CHAKRASAMVARA AND VAJRAVARHITIBET, 15TH/16TH CENTURY西藏 十五/十六世紀 銅鎏金及銀錘揲勝樂金剛與金剛亥母像Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sThis exceptional gilt bronze depicts the meditational deity (yidam) Chakrasamvara (lit. 'Wheel of Bliss') comprised of male and female enlightened beings depicted in a sexual embrace, symbolic of the transcendent bliss that skilled Tantric practitioners experience on completion of the Chakrasamvara Tantra. Visualized as gendered embodiments of perfected wisdom (female) and compassion (male) merging into a perfected, interpenetrative union, Vajravarahi is embraced by Samvara whose arms are crossed at center holding the vajra and ghanta in a gesture signifying the successful integration of Tantra's two highest qualities. Richly ornamented with jewelry and inset gems, the complexity of this multi-armed deity overlaid with such detail, illustrates a mastery of the casting process coming from Nepal. The skull crown adorned with floral pendants, armlets and wrist bands, beaded swags and sashes, are all lavishly inset with turquoise as one entity. Certain elements, such as the implements of vajra, ghanta, damaru, and skullcup, are separately cast, as evident on other examples of the deity (HAR 2709). Gilt bronze figures of Chakrasamvara demanded the best craftsmen in order to produce complex meditational images that could both express and inspire the most exquisite state of mind. Chakrasamvara features prominently across all Tibetan Buddhist schools, and is the principal transformative deity for both the Kagyu and Sakya lineages. The Phagmodrupa Kagyu sect installed Chakrasamvara as the principal deity of Drigung monastery in Lhasa (founded 1179).Rising to great prominence in the 14th to 16th centuries, the Kagyu and Sakya orders formed strong ties with the imperial Yuan and Ming courts, and Tibetan Buddhist iconography strongly informed Buddhist art of the early Ming period. Images of Chakrasamvara proliferated during this exchange, as evidenced by a spectacular example from the Yongle period, sold at Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 7 October 2007, lot 810.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE DU BOUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉTIBET OU NÉPAL, XIIIE/XIVE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4888 12.7 cm (5 in.) highFootnotes:A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHATIBET OR NEPAL, 13TH/14TH CENTURY西藏或尼泊爾 十三/十四世紀 銅鎏金釋迦牟尼像 Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sWith downward casting eyes in deep meditation and his right hand extended forward in the earth-witnessing gesture (bhumisparsha mudra), this gilt bronze of the Buddha Shakyamuni illustrates the seminal moment of his enlightenment and subsequent triumph over the demon king Mara at Bodh Gaya. In this unique sculpture, the artist cleverly alludes to Shakyamuni's immovable and unbreakable force of will by adding a cushion—or adamantine seat (vajrasana)—inset with semi-precious gemstones cut into the shape of diamonds. Decoration of this type comes from northeast Indian bronzes during the Pala period, with inset patterns comparable to a group of 10th century Tathagatas in the Beijing Palace Museum, published in The Light of the Buddha: Buddhist Sculptures of the Palace Museum and Zhiguan Museum of Fine Art, 2019, pp.168-185, nos. 35-39), as well as another set of four Tathagathas in the Potala Palace, published in von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Vol. I, 2001, pp. 250-9, nos. 78-81). This decoration also appears on the crown band of the Nepalese Tara from the Zimmerman Family Collection, sold at Bonhams, New York, 21 March 2023, lot 513. This awareness of Indian motifs, in addition to the Buddha's wide forehead, broad upper torso, and a fitting to attach a prabhamandala behind the base reflects the skilled hand of a Newari craftsmen from the Early Malla period (1200-1482). However, the Buddha's relatively taller ushnisha topped by a wish-granting jewel (chintamani), the lack of wear to the gilding, and the preference for lapis lazuli and turquoise insets indicate that this bronze was made with a Tibetan patron in mind. As such, given the merging of Indian, Nepalese, and Tibetan styles, it is appropriate to assign this bronze to a Nepalese workshop in Tibet, considering the present lot's striking physique and physiognomy to that of a crowned Buddha image from the Philip Goldman Collection, sold at Sotheby's, New York, 21 March 2002, lot 50. Furthermore, the delicately incised treatment given to each individual lotus petal indicates a possible attribution to Densatil monastery, which was known for incorporating both Indian and Nepalese decorative elements into their lavishly inset gilt bronzes. If so, the figure's smaller scale suggests that it was placed within a private chapel and was made for a high-ranking lama as their personal image. See a Densatil image of Vajravidarana that shares this lotus petal type from the Claude de Marteau Collection, Part I, sold at Bonhams, Paris, 4 October 2022, lot 11.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
TÊTE DE BOUDDHA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRETHAÏLANDE DU NORD, ROYAUME DE LAN NA, VERS 1470-150327.5 cm (10 7/8 in.) highFootnotes:A COPPER ALLOY HEAD OF BUDDHANORTHERN THAILAND, LAN NA KINGDOM, CIRCA 1470-1503泰國北部 蘭納王國 約1470-1503年 銅佛首 Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1980s This bronze head of the Buddha is an example of the 'Sihing' type established during the Lan Na Kingdom's golden age under King Tilok (r. 1441-87), that proliferated under King Mueang Kaeo (r.1495-1525). Variously termed 'Early Chiang Saen', 'Phra Singh', or 'Sihing' by different scholars (the latter two meaning 'lion'), this Buddha head invokes the more sensuous and robust treatment of the body of the period. Among the head's Sihing stylistic features are its prominent snail shell curls arranged into a thinly banded heart-shaped hairline. Its high arching brow converging at the nose, gracefully upswept eyes, and soft ovoid shape follow the late 15th and early 16th century Lan Na Buddha images produced in Chiang Mai and neighboring Lamphun. For example, compare with two masterpieces held in Wat Pa Sang Ngam in Lamphun, including one dated 1501 (Stratton, Buddhist Sculptures of Northern Thailand, 2004, pp. xxxiv & 223-5, nos. C.16, C.17, 8.71, 8.73 & 8.78).The Sihing image's dating has been long debated, but numerous examples are dated by inscription to the last quarter of the 15th century, and Woodward, Jr. suggests that 1470-1503, a period bookended by the earliest and one of the later known dated images, provides the range in which most of the uninscribed yet more beautifully-made sculptures can be placed (Woodward, Jr., The Sacred Sculpture of Thailand, 1997, p. 210).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: WW Lot is located in the Bonhams Warehouse and will only be available for collection from this location.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
TÊTE DE BOUDDHA EN GRÈSTHAÏLANDE, ÉPOQUE AYUTTHAYA, XVE SIÈCLE49 cm (19 1/4 in.) highFootnotes:A SANDSTONE HEAD OF BUDDHATHAILAND, AYUTTHAYA PERIOD, 15TH CENTURY泰國 大城時期 十五世紀 砂岩佛首Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1980s Retaining much of the original pigmentation and majority of the features, this Ayutthaya stone Buddha head is one of the best preserved of its kind. Illustrative of the Sukhothai styles which were adopted into the Ayutthaya period, these merging characteristics coalesced during the 15th century. The oval face, flaming ushnisha, and heart-shaped hairline echo Sukhothai features, while the abstracted bowline converging at the bridge of the nose, long nose with downturned tip, thick hairband, small nubs for hair, and fainter smile are more indicative of classic Early Ayutthaya styles. Two images from this period, both of which are now in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, include a stone head displaying the confluence of these periods (25.65), as well as a bronze example attributed to the first half of the 15th century with resembling facial features (54.2799).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: WW Lot is located in the Bonhams Warehouse and will only be available for collection from this location.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
TÊTE DE BOUDDHA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE LAQUÉ ORTHAÏLANDE, ÉPOQUE AYUTTHAYA, XVIE SIÈCLE35.5 cm (14 in.) highFootnotes:A GILT-LACQUERED COPPER ALLOY HEAD OF BUDDHATHAILAND, AYUTTHAYA PERIOD, 16TH CENTURY泰國 大城時期 十六世紀 銅漆金佛首Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1980sThis serene and elegant gilded image is a fine example of bronze Buddha sculptures produced during the Ayutthaya period (1351-1767). Buddha's small snail-shell hair curls, heart-shaped hairline, arching brows converging on a narrow nose bridge, and slender upswept eyes are characteristic of the style. Compare with the head of a bronze Buddha sold at Bonhams, New York, 22 September 2021, lot 1214. Another closely related head, sharing deeply recessed dimples at the corners of the mouth, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2019.570.12).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: WW Lot is located in the Bonhams Warehouse and will only be available for collection from this location.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE D'HEVAJRA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE AVEC INCRUSTATION D'ARGENTTIBET, PROVINCE DE TSANG, XVE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4871 25.4 cm (10 in.) highFootnotes:A SILVER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF HEVAJRATIBET, TSANG PROVINCE, 15TH CENTURY西藏 十五世紀 銅錯銀喜金剛像Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sThis sculpture of Hevajra trampling a quatrain of piled corpses while raising his two left legs in a passionate dance represents his form in the 'Oral Instruction' Lineage. Also known as the Lamdre (or Margapala) Instruction Lineage, this tradition is said to have been first revealed to Mahasiddha Virupa in a vision from Nairatmya, the consort of Hevajra. The Lamdre, or the 'Path with the Result', is a system of philosophical and meditation techniques based primarily on the Hevajra cycle of Tantras, which were orally passed down from teacher to student and eventually became incorporated into the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism as their most important practice. Expertly cast with intricate details, squarish features, and animated eyes inlaid with silver, this superb figure distinguishes itself as one of the most remarkable pieces to have been made in the non-gilding ateliers of Tsang. Luxurious engravings located at the back of the base, which were likely made to fit the tangs of a separately-cast prabhamandala, allude to the Chinese embroidered silks that were sent to monasteries in Tsang as gifts, reaffirming the political trade alliances that were being forged among the leaders of the Sakya and the imperial courts of the Yuan and early Ming dynasties. A Tsang portrait of the Sakya Ngor lama Sanggye Pel, which was sold at Bonhams, New York, 14 March 2017, lot 3273, shares similarly rendered floral decorations at the lower portions of his patchwork robe. The round, beaded rim of Hevajra's lotus base, in addition to Nairatmya's cross-hatched apron, by contrast, pay homage to the gilding workshops that were concurrently flourishing in Central Tibet, including a gilt bronze Hevajra following in the artistic traditions of Sonam Gyaltsen (c. 1430), sold at Bonhams, Hong Kong, 7 October 2019, lot 931. Also attesting to the rarity of Hevajra images from Tsang are two other images that are cast together with their bases, one sold at Christie's, London, 19 June 1973, lot 153, and another published in, The Light of the Buddha: Buddhist Sculptures of the Palace Museum and Zhiguan Museum of Fine Art, 2019, pp. 374-5, no. 101; HAR 8237.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUETTE D'UNE DIVINITÉ D'ACCOMPAGNATRICE DE MAHACHAKRA VAJRAPANI EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉTIBET, XVE/XVIE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4806 21.6 cm (8 1/2 in.) highFootnotes:A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF A MAHACHAKRA VAJRAPANI RETINUE FIGURETIBET, 15TH/16TH CENTURY西藏 十五/十六世紀 銅鎏金大輪金剛手伴神像Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sThis intriguing gilt bronze is one that is rarely encountered in Tibetan sculpture. Wrathful in appearance with one face and four arms, he supports his female consort in a passionate embrace while simultaneously displaying the gesture of demon subjugation with his principal pair of hands. This particular mudra, together with the vajra and staff that he holds in his secondary hands, identifies him as one of four guardian deities who protects Mahachakra Vajrapani's sacred mandala abode, and was likely once part of a sculptural set. For reference, see two thangkas of Mahachakra which illustrate these attendant deities, one sold at Christie's, New York, 21 September 2005, lot 124 (HAR 21949), and another in the Margot and Tom Pritzker Collection (HAR 58322). Mahachakra Vajrapani is a meditational deity (yidam) who can serve as the focus of one's tantric practice, bestowing both power and spiritual attainment. As indicated by the coiling snakes adorning the retinue figure's body, snakes are key to Mahachakra Vajrapani's wrathful symbolism, conveying his role of subduing harmful forces and converting 'poisonous' emotions into virtue (cf. van Alphen, in Bonhams, Hong Kong, 29 November 2016, lot 108). Likewise, the present retinue figure tramples two sprawling demons underfoot, signifying his own ability to remove all obstacles, either physical or mental, that could potentially impede a practitioner's path towards enlightenment. The present lot bears the stylistic hallmarks of Sonam Gyaltsen, who was a master craftsman active in Shigatse in the 15th century. Characteristics of his workshop style include the finely incised details decorating the couple's clothing, the jeweled swags adorning their waists, and the pointed, five-lobed leaves comprising the crowns and armbands. These features are shared by two images of Mahachakra Vajrapani, one from the Philip Goldman Collection (HAR 12079) and another sold at Christie's, Paris, 16 December 2022, lot 173 (HAR 24853). However, the wide, bulbous modelling of the lotus petals do not reflect the hand of Sonam Gyaltsen himself, suggesting that the present work was made in a closely related atelier. A gilt bronze figure of Songtsen Gampo in the Capital Museum, Beijing, who sits atop a similar type of lotus base, possibly hints that the two originate from the same workshop (The Goddess of Mercy in Buddhism, 2008, pp. 230-1, no. 24; HAR 59803).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
TWO BOXES OF ASSORTED SUNDRIES AND VINTAGE BEE KEEPING CLOTHING, to include a hat and veil, gloves, over garment, four books on bee keeping, a Benton & Stone Ltd insecticide sprayer, an enamelled B.B.K.A pin badge, a boxed British Bee Keeper's Association bronze medal, a painted cast pair of Qualcast 'Paper Boy' figures made into bookends, a letter and signed photo from Ken Dodd dated 2005, a modern cast iron umbrella stand, a vintage Weathermaster with brown flecked stone, a pair of blue glass Royal commemorative tumblers, a Chesterman 66ft measuring tape, an oak framed cross stitch seaside scene picture, etc. (s.d) (2 boxes + loose)
A LARGE BOX OF UK COINAGE, to include a display box that contains 50 Fifty Penny coins from circulation Edward VII to Elizabeth II, a display of 32 Crown and £5 coins some proofs with individual card for certification, a bronze medal Battle of Waterloo 1815 370 gram, 81mm, mintage 500 in box of issue with certificate, a boxed display 'The Last of the Sixpences' 32x George V to Elizabeth II 1936-1967 each with information leaflets, a small boxed display of Farthing coins 1937-1954
A COLLECTION OF METALWARES, to include a bronze printing block engraved 'Monarch of the Highlands' with an eagle above, approximately 9.5cm x 6cm x 2cm, two Middle Eastern vases height of tallest 26cm, a copper bowl with scalloped rim and floral motifs, a collection of Indian brass beakers, bowls, candlesticks, etc, together with a boxed Markstrom Swedish plated tastevin or wine tasting spoon (Qty) (Condition Report: most pieces appear ok, some damage and wear, some pieces would benefit from a clean)
AFTER HENRY ETIENNE DUMAIGE (FRENCH 1830-1888) A BRONZE SCULPTURE OF A REVOLUTIONARY DRUMMER, on a later oak base, plaque reading 'Avant Le Combat, Voluntaire de 1792, Par Dumaige HC', bearing cast signature, total height 76cm x height excluding base 65cm x base width 29.5cm x base depth 30cm, heavy (1) (Condition Report: good condition, no obvious damage)
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