A COPPER-INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF CINTANAMI MAHAKALA, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

A COPPER-INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF CINTANAMI MAHAKALA, 17TH-18TH CENTURY
Tibetan-Chinese. Heavily cast, standing atop a separate lotus base with beaded rim, the primary hands before the chest, with four hands in apan mudra, dressed in a dhoti tied at the waist and neatly incised, adorned with beaded jewelry and dharma wheel at the belly, the back with a blossom jewel, a streaming ribbon draped over the shoulders, the face with a wrathful expression, open mouth revealing sharp fangs, curling beard, bulging eyes, the flaming hair behind a skull tiara. The teeth, two toes, and earrings with
very fine copper inlays
.
Provenance
: From a German private collection, acquired before 2007.
Condition
: Extensive wear, few losses, small nicks, light scratches, old metal fills, and some casting irregularities. The base cast separately.
Weight: 1,017 g
Dimensions: Height 17.2 cm
Mahakala
belongs to the class of dharmapalas or protectors of the Buddhist Faith. According to Tibetan tradition, the dharmapalas are pre-Buddhist local deities. They were subdued by the great master Padmasambhava and included in the pantheon as fierce defenders of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan iconographic texts describe seven various forms of Mahakala. This six-armed form is known as Cintamani Mahakala or the 'Mahakala with the Wish Bestowing Gem'.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 8 June 2010, lot 321
Price: EUR 39,400 or approx.
EUR 51,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A partially gilded bronze statue of Cintamanimahakala, Tibet, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, pose, and style of the dhoti. Note the intact gilding and much larger size (27.5 cm).
十七至十八世紀六臂大黑天銅像
漢藏。本尊造像直立，一面六臂，頭戴骷髏冠，頂豎忿怒髪，雙目圓睜，粗眉上揚，張嘴露齒，耳戴銅耳飾，面相兇忿。胸前飾瓔珞，手臂掛有臂釧，六臂分施不同手印，肢體粗壯有力。整體處理的細緻到位，通體鎏金，水亮厚實，面部生動攝人。牙齒、兩隻腳趾和耳環都鑲有非常精細的銅。
來源：
德國私人收藏，購於2007年前。
品相：
磨損嚴重，些微缺損、有小磕損、輕微劃痕、舊金屬填充物和一些鑄造不規則現象。底座分開製作。
重量：1,017 克
尺寸：高17.2 厘米
大黑天
梵語名瑪哈嘎拉，藏語稱為貢普，原來是古代印度的戰神，進入佛教後，很受密教的崇奉，是觀音菩薩化現的大護法，在護法中地位很高，同時也是密宗修法所依止的重要本尊。
拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：巴黎佳士得，2010年6月8日，lot 321
價格：EUR 39,400（相當於今日
EUR 51,000
）
描述：十八世紀西藏部分鎏金大黑天銅像
專家評論：比較相近的主題、姿勢和腰部風格。請注意只有部分鎏金和尺寸較大(27.5 厘米)。