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A Western Tibetan inscribed gilt bronze figure of a Kagyu Lama,…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
24-Sep-2019
Lot No.
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Description:
A Western Tibetan inscribed gilt bronze figure of a Kagyu Lama, 17th century, cast in bronze with fine gilding, depicting a Kagyu lama seated in padmasana, dressed in robes with brocade edging and the high hat of the Drukpa Kagyu, his right hand in vitarkamudra, the left folding a manuscript on his lap. The cast bronze figure is seated atop a gilt repousse double lotus throne, with red cinnabar pigment at the top, and an inscription reading '/Sri med thugs sras lha tsun (for la btsun) dge'o bkra shis/', meaning 'The most excellent and Noble Renunciate Lhatsun Who is Inseparable from his Heart-Sons, May Virtue and happiness Prevail'., 19.5 cm high, 13 cm wide. Provenance: Kitty Higgins, Trocadero gallery, Washington DC. Dr Raul Vispo collection. Soo Tze Oriental Antiques, 2011. Exhibitions: Exhibited in Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, Atlanta Georgia USA, the many faces of the Buddha (September-November 1986), pp62, catalogue number 25. Exhibited at the National Gallery of Victoria, March-November 2014. Other Notes: 'Lha btsun', or 'Noble renunciate' refers to a noble who has given up worldly life for religious life. Heart Brothers refers to those a person is close to in their spiritual practice, particularly students. This image is likely that of the 17th century Sikkimese Lhatsun Jigme Namkha (1595-1650), a Nyingmapa Dzogchen Lama, a Tibetan lama famed for opening up the hidden land of Sikkim to Buddhists as a place to do spiritual practice.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Oriental: Bronze