STATUETTE DE MANJUSHRI EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉ DYNASTIE QING, XVIIE SIÈCLE Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4616 24 cm (9 1/2 in.) high Footnotes: A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF MANJUSHRI QING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY 清 十七世紀 銅鎏金文殊菩薩像 Provenance: With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970s This elegant and serene figure portrays Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of 'Transcendental Wisdom'. He is seated in dhyanasana, with his raised right hand brandishing a sword, and his left hand in vitarka mudra. Early Qing emperors enthusiastically patronized Tibetan Buddhism as had the preceding Ming rulers, in an effort to extend Manchu rulership over Tibet and reorient the Mongols towards China. The Qing court favored Manjushri amongst other deities in the Buddhist pantheon, and as did other emperors of that dynasty, the Kangxi Emperor regarded himself as his emanation. He supported the building of temples and paid obeisance to the sacred mountain of Wutai, considered to be the mythical home of the deity. Manjushri's torso naturally sways to one side, reminiscent of renowned Yongle-Xuande bronzes of the same subject. The scarf drops down with a loop below his raised arm, balancing the empty space below the elbow. While reflecting certain styles of Ming tradition, his face, regalia and base are more consistent with early Qing bronzes. His dhoti is plain and tight in contrast to the draping folds frequently seen on Ming bronzes. The pleats here are contained, fanning out neatly over the crossed ankles of the deity. His high crown consists of five elaborate plaques, each decorated with foliate designs and a vertical band of stacked beads. Two figures of White Tara from Qing's Chengde Palace are adorned with similar crown types; see Chang and Hsu (eds.), Buddhist Art from Rehol: Tibetan Buddhist Images and Ritual Objects from the Qing dynasty Summer Palace at Chengde, 1999, pp. 84-5 & 90-1, fig. 22 & 25. Compared with the two Taras dated to late 17th/early 18th century, the current lot's overall contour is more natural, especially in the subtle treatment of the muscles along his torso and waist. The lotus base is comprised of three layers of thin, flat petals with prominently pointed tips, a style more concurrent with earlier Qing casts. The special treatment of the base is shared by another sculpture of Manjushri (Burrows, Tibetan Lamist Art, 1970, no. 43) which also corresponds to the figural modelling and regalia. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com