A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAJRADHARA AND PRAJNAPARAMITAQING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY Himalayan Art Resources item no.4537 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm) high 清 十八世紀 金剛總持與般若波羅蜜多雙身銅像 As the primordial Buddha, Vajradhara is the progenitor of the Vajrayana Buddhist universe. He occupies the first rank in the Buddhist pantheon and is typically recognized as the first teacher of a tantric lineage. Vajradhara represents the highest state of enlightenment, its abstract perfection, and the sum of all Buddhist teachings. Sculptures of Vajradhara therefore serve as secondary representations, reminding practitioners of the deity's otherwise formless essence, which is beyond humanprehension. The present sculpture portrays him in union with Prajnaparamita, considered to be the mother of all Buddhas. The quality of casting is evident in the crisply carved eyes and the nicely modeled three-layered lotus petals. For other Qing-dynasty bronzes of the same subject, see , Hong Kong, 7 October 2019, lot 905, and Los Angeles, 18 December 2019, lot 673. Provenance: Collection of Harry Kleiner, since 1950s, by repute Thence by descent to the current owner