STATUETTE DE VAISHRAVANA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE DORÉ DYNASTIE QING, XVIIIE SIÈCLE Himalayan Art Resources item no. 4603 13 cm (5 in.) high Footnotes: A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAISHRAVANA QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY 清 十八世紀 銅鎏金多聞天王像 Provenance: With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970s Vaishravana is a wealth deity with a magical mongoose capable of disgorging gems cradled in his left hand. Vaishravana is also one of Four Heavenly Kings, the Guardian of the North, and is therefore depicted as a robust warrior, clad in glistening chain mail, mounted on a snow lion. His semi-wrathful, semi-peaceful face expresses his dual character. A distinctive feature of Vaishravana sculptures produced under the Qing dynasty is the fish-shaped element of his armor, descending between the legs. The motif is a rebus, with 'fish' being a homonym of 'abundance' in Chinese (yu), playing on Vaishravana's role as a bestower of prosperity. Related sculptures with this detail are in the State Hermitage, Leningrad, Yonghegong temple, Beijing, and the Jacques Marchais of Tibetan Art, Staten Island (see Rhie & Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion, 1991, p. 305, no. 118; Buddhist Statues in Yonghegong, 2002, pl. 113; and Lipton & Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan Arts, 1996, p. 179, no. 95, respectively). Further stylistically related sculpture of Vaishravana were sold at Christie's, Paris, 20 June 2017, lot 35; and 12 June 2019, lot 194. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com