A SILVER-INLAID AND GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF MAHASIDDHA, THE MYSTICAL TEACHER VIRUPA

A SILVER-INLAID AND GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF MAHASIDDHA, THE MYSTICAL TEACHER VIRUPA
Tibet, 17th - 18th century. The figure dressed in a short dhoti seated in lalitasana on an antelope skin atop a remarkably well-incised foliate base. Looped across his waist over to his raised leg, a notched yogic band decorated finely with a scrolling vine, his one hand cradling a kapala, the other raised with fingers pointing upwards.
Provenance
: From an old German private collection. To the base, a collector's label, 'Vahasida' (sic!).
Condition
: Very good condition with old wear, expected casting flaws and traces of usage, small nicks here and there, few minuscule losses, light scratches. Good, naturally grown patina overall.
Weight: 1471.2 g
Dimensions: Height 16 cm
The body
ornamented with beaded jewelry, the hair knotted in a high chignon and pulled back with a headdress decorated with floral jewelry. The face in a tranquil expression with eyes inlaid in silver under raised eyebrows, the ears elongated with heavy spiral earrings, his curling moustache and long beard, all under a broad smile. To the copper base, an incised crossed vajra symbol.
Mahasiddha may be translated as "Great Attainer"
and implies a mystical teacher who is free-thinking and often eccentric, who has mastered the various yogic techniques and attained unusual magical and spiritual powers. Virupa, the Lord of Yoga, is venerated foremost in magical attainments among the 84 Mahasiddhas of India. He is pivotal within all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. In the Sakya, Virupa is typically depicted in one or all of the six prescribed forms that follow the major events in his life story. The Sakya iconographic convention for depicting Virupa is to have the right hand raised for depicting the narrative of stopping the sun in the sky.
The Indian mystic, Virupa
is credited with performing many extraordinary deeds, including parting the waters of the Ganges and drinking enormous amounts of alcoholic beverages. Once he was refused further liquor at a tavern unless he could pay, upon which he prevented the sun from setting for two days with his magical powers. The local king, highly concerned, settled his bill in order to free the sun. Here, he is here depicted with his right arm raised in the threatening gesture of tarjani mudra, ordering the sun not to move. Virupa lived in the ninth century in southern India and studied at the University of Nalanda. He was known for his comments on the Hevajra Tantra.
Literature comparison:
Two related examples of Virupa in the Museum Rietberg are published in Uhlig, On the Path to Enlightenment, Zurich, 1995, pp.179, nos.122-3. Compare a closely related figure of Virupa, but with his right hand lowered instead of holding the skull cup, in U. von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, cat. no. 128C; and two examples in the Berti Aschmann Collection, cf. H. Uhlig, On the Path to Enlightenment, 1995, cat. nos. 122 and 123.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 10 December 2014, lot 34
Price: EUR 55,500 or approx.
EUR 69,500
adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Statuette de Mahasiddha en Bronze Dore, Chine, Dynastie Qing, XVIIIeme
Expert remark: Note the smaller size (10 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 22 June 2016, lot 66
Price: EUR 39,900 or approx.
EUR 48,000
adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Statue d'un Mahasiddha en Bronze Dore Tibet, XVIIIeme Siecle
Expert remark: Note the size (14.5 cm).
銅鎏金錯銀大成就者毘魯巴
西藏，十七至十八世紀。大成就者身穿短布腰布，坐於精雕羚羊皮葉紋底座。 一條腰帶從腰上繞到抬起的腿上，腰帶飾有藤蔓，他的一隻手抱著一個卡帕拉，另一隻手舉起，手指向上。
來源
：
德國私人舊藏，底座有收藏標籤 “Vahasid“。
品相
：
狀況非常好，有磨損、鑄造缺陷和使用痕跡，很多小刻痕，微小的缺損，輕微的劃痕。自然包漿。
重量：1471.2 克
尺寸：高 16 厘米
拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：巴黎佳士得，2014年12月10日，lot 34
價格：EUR 55,500（相當於今日
EUR 69,500
）
描述：大成就者銅鎏金雕像，中國，清朝，十八世紀
專家評論：請注意尺寸較小 (10 釐米)。
拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：巴黎佳士得，2016年6月22日，lot 66
價格：EUR 39,900（相當於今日
EUR 48,000
）
描述：金銅大成就者雕像
專家評論：請注意尺寸 (14.5 釐米)。
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