A SILVER AND COPPER-INLAID GILT BRASS FIGURE OF BUDDHA VAJRASANA, TIBET, 15TH - 16TH CENTURY Seated in vajrasana on a double lotus base with beaded edges, a vajra before him, his right hand lowered in bhumisparsa mudra and the left in avakasha mudra, wearing a loose-fitting monastic robe opening at the chest, the beaded hems neatly incised with foliate scroll. The serene face with heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes finely inlaid with silver and copper below arched eyebrows centered by a turquoise-inlaid urna. The sealed base incised with a double vajra.

Provenance: From a noted English private collection.
Condition: Good condition with some old wear and traces of use, minor casting flaws, minuscule nicks, light scratches and dents, small losses, extensive wear to gilt. Warm, smooth patina. Sealed.

Weight: 915.7 g
Dimensions: Height 18.5 cm

Expert's note: This cheerful bronze recalls the moment of Buddha's enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Gazing at the viewer, he has a particularly amiable countenance. His slender eyes, often seen in art of the Guge Kingdom in Western Tibet, are made more captivating by the use of silver and copper inlay. A bronze Akshobhya from Guge in the Museum Rietberg has similar facial features and rippled pleats above the base (Uhlig, On the Path to Enlightenment, Zurich, 1995, pp. 70-1, no. 29). Yet, similar lotus petals and the exact shape of the mouth are also represented on a standing Avalokiteshvara, suggesting Tsang in Central Tibet as an alternative place of production (see von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Vol. II, Hong Kong, 2001, p. 1192, no. 323A).

Most important of the Buddhist pilgrimage sites is the location of Shakyamuni's enlightenment at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya. Here, it is believed a descendant of the bodhi tree, which Shakyamuni sat under, still stands. His enshrined seat at the Mahabodhi Temple, known as the vajrasana ('vajra seat'), is referenced in this bronze's small vajra placed on top of the lotus pedestal. Unlike many other Buddha images, these 'Buddha Vajrasana' emphasize Shakyamuni's historicity. Recalling a specific spiritual achievement associated with a specific site, its mnemonic vajra no doubt promoted pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya as well.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Near-identical
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 7 October 2019, lot 934
Price: HKD 425,625 or approx. EUR 56,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Silver and Copper Inlaid Brass Figure of Buddha Vajrasana, Tibet, 15th/16th Century
Expert remark: Compare the near-identical subject, pose, robe, vajra, and inlaid eyes. Note the identical size (18.5 cm).


十五至十六世紀西藏錯銀錯紅銅金剛座佛陀銅像
佛陀成金剛座坐於雙層蓮座上，面前有一個金剛杵。右手施觸地印，左手禪定印，身著長袍，袒露右肩，面容歡愉，再現佛陀於菩提伽耶悟道之瞬間。雙目含笑，以和藹可親之態凝視觀者，眼睛細長，與紅銅的鑲嵌令其眼目更富神采。雙眉之間綠松石鑲嵌白毫。底部雙金剛杵印封印。

來源：英國知名私人收藏。
品相：品相良好，有一些磨損和使用痕跡，輕微的鑄造缺陷、微小的刻痕、劃痕和凹痕，少量缺損，鎏金廣泛磨損。包漿細膩光滑。底部密封。

重量：915.7 克
尺寸：高18.5 厘米

專家注釋：這尊面容歡愉的佛像再現佛陀於菩提伽耶悟道之瞬間，其細長的眼睛時常可見於藏西古格王朝的造像或壁畫中。瑞特堡博物館現藏一尊古格阿閦佛銅像則帶有相似面部特徵以及蓮花座上橫向堆疊的衣褶（Uhlig，《On the Path to Enlightenment》，蘇黎世，1995年，頁70-1，編號29）。然而，另一尊觀音菩薩立像帶有與其十分類似的蓮花瓣與完全一致的嘴形，或許本拍品可能來自藏中地區（馮·施羅德，《西藏佛教造像》，卷二，香港，2001年，頁1192，編號323A）。

釋迦牟尼在菩提伽耶摩訶菩提寺開悟之處是最重要的佛教朝聖地。據說，釋迦牟尼所坐的菩提樹的後裔仍然屹立於此。他在摩訶菩提寺供奉的座位，被稱為金剛座，這個放置在蓮花座頂部的銅小金剛杵是其象徵。與許多其他佛像不同，“金剛座佛陀” 強調釋迦牟尼的歷史性。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：近乎相同
拍賣：香港邦瀚斯，2019年10月7日，lot 934
價格：HKD 425,625（相當於今日EUR 56,500）
描述：十五或十六世紀西藏錯銀錯紅銅金剛座佛陀銅像
專家評論：比較近乎相同的主題、姿勢、長袍、金剛杵和鑲嵌白毫。請注意相同的尺寸(18.5 厘米)。