Lot 39
Gilt Bronze Figure of Yamantaka and Consort, Vajravetali, Tibet, 18th Century
Lot 39 Details
Gilt Bronze Figure of Yamantaka and Consort, Vajravetali, Tibet, 18th Century
Casting in alidhasana upon birds, elephant, horses, and the bodies of prostrate figures above a beaded lotus base, his 32 arms radiate about him with the primary arms grasping his consort and holding a kartika ritual curved knife and skull cap, wearing an elephant skin at his back, with deities symbolize avatar of Manjusri within tall flaming hair, his face is cast with a wrathful expression
height 9.4" — 24 cm.
Estimate $20,000-$30,000
Additional Images
Provenance:
From an Important Canadian Collection, acquired in East Asia during 1980’s.
Note:
As a wrathful manifestation of Manjusri, the Buddhist god of Wisdom, Yamantaka takes the infuriated form of a buffalo-headed guardian in order to conquer Yama, the God of Death. Known as an ‘Iṣṭadevata’ in Mahayana Buddhism or ‘Yidam’ in the Gelug School, Yamantaka protects the followers of tantric Buddism. Symbolizing the victory of wisdom/knowledge over death/ignorance, Yamantaka is important not only because he belongs to Anuttarayoga Tantra, the highest yoga tantra, but also because of is associations with the Chinese Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) who regarded Manjusuri as his own meditational deity.