A GILT COPPER REPOUSSE FIGURE OF GREEN TARA, 17TH-18TH CENTURY Tibetan-Chinese. Well modeled seated in lalitasana, the right hand in varada mudra and the left in vitarka mudra, holding a lotus stem coming to full bloom at the shoulder, wearing elaborate jewelry and an incised robe falling in drapes, the face with a benevolent expression flanked by pendulous earlobes, crowned with a five-leaf tiara enclosing the hair coiled into an elaborate chignon. The seal plate with a punched double vajra.

Provenance: From an old British private collection, acquired in the 1970s. A Belgian private collection, acquired from the above. Old label to base with manual inscription: “Nepal Tibet - Bronze doré - Acquis dans les années 1970 Coll. A + JP de (…) Mc DONALD GB” (Nepal Tibet, gilt bronze, acquired in the 1970ies, collection of A + JP Mc Donald, UK)
Condition: Good condition commensurate with age and still presenting remarkably well. Some wear and manufacturing flaws, minor dings and dents, small tears and losses, light scratches, minuscule old repairs. The base sealed and possibly still filled with sacred contents. Good, naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 1,055 g
Dimensions: Height 27 cm

This elegant seated figure of Tara exhibits many characteristics common to Buddhist imagery from the Qianlong period (1736-1795), made in the lamaist workshops in and around Beijing. In the latter half of Qianlong's reign, when the construction of Buddhist temples and the associated Buddhist images reached its apogee, the use of repoussé, where thin metals are beaten rather than cast, became more prevalent in an effort to save materials and time. The artisans of the period quickly mastered the process, and details such as the ornately worked crown and flowers at the shoulders in the present figure demonstrate the mastery of the technique.

Green Tara, also known as Shyamatara, is venerated as a savior and liberator from samsara, the earthly realm of birth and rebirth. According to Buddhist mythology, Green Tara emerged from a lotus bud rising from a lake of the tears of Avalokiteshvara, shed for the suffering of all sentient beings. She embodies compassion in a dynamic form, hence the usual depiction of the goddess with right leg outstretched, ready to leap out to ease suffering. Her right hand is always held out in varada mudra, a gesture of compassion and charity, and the left hand in vitarka mudra, a gesture of teaching.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Galerie Zacke, 27 September 2019, lot 68
Price: EUR 10,744 or approx. EUR 12,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt copper statue of Manjusri, Tibetan-Chinese, 17^th-18^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related repoussé work, gilding, incision work, inlays, and double lotus base with similar petals and beaded edge. Note the related size (29.8 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's New York, 20 March 2019, lot 673
Price: USD 21,250 or approx. EUR 24,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A repousse gilt-bronze figure of Tara, Inner Mongolia or China, late 18^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related repoussé work and lotus base with similar petals and beaded edge. Note the size (39.4 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 16 May 2019, lot 171
Price: GBP 15,062 or approx. EUR 19,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large gilt-copper repoussé figure of Green Tara, Tibet, 16^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related expression, pose, and jewelry. Note the size (40.4 cm) and that this statue is of an earlier date.

十七至十八世紀銅鎏金錘鍱綠度母坐蓮像
漢藏。綠度母頭戴花冠，面相方圓，慈眉善目，神態沉靜。耳垂花璫，胸戴瓔珞，袒露上身，下著錦褲，雙肩豎出蓮花法器，單腿伸出自然坐於單層覆蓮座上。底座密封雙金剛杵印。

來源：英國私人舊藏，購於上世紀七十年代；一個比利時私人收藏，購於上述收藏。底部有舊標籤 “Nepal Tibet - Bronze doré - Acquis dans les années 1970 Coll. A + JP de (…) Mc DONALD GB” (尼泊爾或西藏，銅鎏金，購於1970年代，英國 A + JP Mc Donald收藏)
品相：品相良好，與年齡相稱。一些磨損和製造缺陷、輕微的凹痕、小撕裂和缺損、輕微的劃痕與維修。底座密封，造像内可能還裝了聖物。 整體良好，自然包漿。

重量：1,055 克
尺寸：高 27 厘米

這尊優雅的綠度母坐像展現了乾隆年間（1736-1795 年）佛教造像的許多共同特徵，由北京及周邊的喇嘛作坊製作。乾隆後半期，當佛教寺廟和造像的建造達到頂峰時，為了節省材料和時間，用鎚敲打金、銀塊，使之延伸展開成片狀，再按要求打造成各種器形和紋飾。當時的工匠很快就掌握了這一工藝，本造像上華麗的五葉冠和肩部的花朵等細節展示了這項工藝。

綠度母相傳是由觀音菩薩淚珠化現的二十一尊度母之一，是藏傳佛教眾多佛母像中流傳最廣、供奉最多的一尊。細觀佛母像，手指細長，臉龐秀娟，加上項鍊與胸飾，右手作與願印，表滿足眾生願望；左手當胸結安慰印，表救度脫離各種世間與出世間的苦難。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：Zacke藝廊，2019年9月27日，lot 68
價格：EUR 10,744（相當於今日EUR 12,000）
描述：銅鎏金文殊菩薩像
專家評論：比較非常相近的錘鍱工藝、鎏金、雕刻和雙層蓮花座。請注意相近的尺寸 (29.8 厘米) 。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得， 2019年3月20日，lot 673
價格：USD 21,250（相當於今日EUR 24,000）
描述：A repousse gilt-bronze figure of Tara，Inner Mongolia or 中國，late 18th century
專家評論：比較非常相近的錘鍱工藝和雙層蓮花座。請注意尺寸 (39.4 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2019年5月16日，lot 171
價格：GBP 15,062（相當於今日EUR 19,500）
描述：十六世紀銅鎏金多羅菩薩坐像
專家評論：比較非常相近的表情、姿勢和珠寶。請注意尺寸 (40.4 厘米)，且此坐像年代較早。