Tibetan Bronze Statuette of Bodhisattva Manjushri

$1,868.48

A finely modelled bronze statuette depicting the Bodhisattva Manjushri, one of the most important figures in Buddhist religion, who is considered the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. The figure appears seated in Dhyanasana on a lotus flower-shaped base, with the legs crossed and the feet facing up. He is portrayed wearing an elaborate floral headpiece and holding a flaming sword in his right hand, while his left hand appears in the Vitarka mudra. A stem of a lotus flower, one of the main attribute of Bodhisattva Manjushri, extends from the lotus-shaped base, coiling around the figure’s left arm. Details of the jewellery the figure is portrayed wearing have been enriched by turquoise cabochon insets. The statuette features a hollow base in order to contain Buddhist relics, which were placed inside before sealing it. Statuettes, such as this beautiful example, were placed in temples and shrines, as a way to accrue the merit needed for good karma in Buddhist religion.

Date: Circa 18th - 19th Century AD
Provenance: From a private UK collection, acquired on the London art market 1990-2000.
Condition: Extremely fine, some signs of wear to the surface.

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One of the central regions for Buddhism beliefs, the religion first reached Tibet in the 7th century AD, roughly a millennium after the life of the historical Gautama Buddha who is credited with founding the religion, and from the mid-11th century has remained the dominant religion of the region. The themes of Tibetan bronze statutory are figures and objects of significance in the Buddhist tradition, such as Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, vajras and historical Buddhist figures. Most of the bronzes that remain to us were originally commissioned and dedicated by the wealthy patrons of the various temples where they would have been places so as to accrue the good karma needed to break the cycle of samsara in the Buddhist religion. In the art of Tibet can be seen also the influences of the nations that surround the region, including Chinese, Indian and Nepalese styles.

To discover more about Tibetan bronze statuettes, please visit our relevant blog post: Tibetan Bronze Figures

Weight 1387.3 g
Dimensions L 17.9 x W 9.7 x H 21.6 cm
Chinese Ideology

Culture

Metal

Region

Semi-Precious Stones

Reference: For a similar item please seeThe British Museum, Museum number 1953,0713.5