During this Asia Week New York, all eyes in the religious art world were on two monumental early Ming imperial gilt-bronze Buddhist sculptures set to be auctioned at Sotheby's: a tantric figure of Hevajra with his consort, and a Xuande reign-marked statue of Panjarnata Mahakala.
Towering at 66 cm and 74 cm, respectively, these sculptures stand out for their exceptional size, downplaying all early Ming sculptures of the same theme. The figure of Panjarnata Mahakala, in particular, is by far the largest early Ming reign-marked bronze in private hands.
Undoubtedly masterworks by any standards applied, these two museum-quality figures had been displayed together at Wereldmuseum Rotterdam for a decade before being released to the market by the Bodhimanda Foundation in Dutch.
Yet, to the surprise of many, the auction, originally scheduled for 19 March, was unexpectedly cancelled without advance notice and sparked numerous speculations and discussions – many wondered if museums had stepped in.
Sotheby's replied to The Value in a statement that "The Wrathful Deities sale did not take place as scheduled. Following conversations with the Bodhimanda Foundation, the decision has been made to pursue private sale options for both lots."
Lot 1 | A monumental gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
Mark and Period of Xuande
Height: 72.5 cm
Provenance:
- Christie’s London, 19th June 1973, lot 148
- Christie’s London, 13th June 1979, lot 61
- European Private Collection
- Gifted to the Bodhimanda Foundation, The Netherlands, 2011
Auction Estimate (made to pursue private sale option): US$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Lot 2 | A monumental gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
Early Ming dynasty
Height: 67.5 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Eduardo Lingero, Brussels, until March 1979
- European Private Collection
- Gifted to the Bodhimanda Foundation, The Netherlands, 2011
Auction Estimate (made to pursue private sale option): US$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
These two Yongle and Xuande imperial bronze sculptures come from the mysterious Bodhimanda Foundation, which manages an exceptional collection of Buddhist art but has long kept a low profile.
Its art collection was amassed by a Dutch family starting in the 1950s, driven by a particular interest in Eastern religions, with a strong focus on Tibetan and Buddhist-related items. Its name, Bodhimanda, means "the place of enlightenment," and it aims to spread knowledge about the material and immaterial culture of Tantric Buddhism.
As the saying goes, "Still waters run deep." This private collection has remained discreet for half a century, quietly nurturing and expanding its treasures until the early 21st century, when it was unveiled at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam and stunned the art world.
Many of the foundation's collections have been on long-term loan to renowned museums worldwide. An imperial reign-marked gilt-bronze ritual butter lamp from the early Ming dynasty, for instance, was exhibited and later sold for £1.32 million at Bonhams London in 2018.
The collection of Bodhimanda Foundation is displayed at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam in the Netherlands; the imperial gilt-bronze ritual butter lamp from the early Ming dynasty sold for £1.32 million at Bonhams London in 2018
The artistic style of Buddhist art from the Yongle (r. 1402-1424) and Xuande (r. 1425-1435) periods of the Ming dynasty can be traced back to the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) when Tibetan Buddhism was respected as the state religion, partly due to the royal family's religious belief, and partly to foster national unity.
During the reign of Kublai Khan, Chogyal Phagpa – an influential Tibetan monk of the Sakya sect and the first national preceptor of the Mongol Yuan Empire – brought the young and talented Newar artist Anige to the imperial court in Beijing.
Already an accomplished artist, Anige quickly gained fame in China and was named director of all artisan classes and controller of imperial manufactories. His involvement in artistic projects heralded a new era of religious art in China, blending Chinese artistic traditions and Indo-Himalayan imagery, catalyzing the development of a Nepalo-Chinese style.
With war ravaging China towards the end of the Yuan dynasty, the following decades saw the wane of Tibetan influence, and it was early in the 15th century that Tibetan Buddhism revived at the imperial court of the Ming dynasty.
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
Both the Xuande emperor and his grandfather, the Yongle emperor, were devout followers of Tibetan Buddhism. During their reigns, the imperial court looked favourably upon Buddhism for political legitimacy and made concerted efforts to build secular and religious alliances with Tibet, even inviting Tibetan monks to the palace to conduct religious services.
Such Tibetan influence manifests itself in the sensuousness of the art, as witnessed in the present two figures' lush gilding and elegant proportions, the waist well-defined, shoulders broad, and muscles puffy and naturalistic.
The rounded, somewhat square face, with sculptural facial features, soft fullness, and a benevolent countenance, derives from Chinese traditions. The luxurious jewellery is meticulously rendered in delicate beaded carvings, replacing the semi-precious stone inlay often seen in Tibetan figures.
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
The Yongle emperor would welcome Tibetan hierarchs with great ceremony, granting them Buddhist-inflected aristocratic titles and seals of authority, and showering them with gifts.
The majority of these were small and easily transportable Buddhist bronzes produced following a distinctive and highly refined imperial style, while large sculptures, such as the present figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra, were mostly sent to monasteries in Tibet.
The subsequent Xuande emperor, on the other hand, curtailed patronage of Tibetan monasteries and rarely lavished gifts on them. As a result, much fewer Tibeto-Chinese Buddhist sculptures were produced during his reign – and these were generally intended for worship within China.
A typical example of Xuande imperial Buddhist sculpture, the present large gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala is by far the largest early Ming reign-marked bronze in private hands. It measures 74 cm high and is outranked only by two Yongle bodhisattvas, one at the Qinghai Provincial Museum (154 cm) and the other at the Cernuschi Museum in Paris (126 cm).
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
Originating in ancient India, Mahakala was initially a god of wealth, warfare, and household. It was later adopted by Tibetan Buddhism as a wrathful deity and, specifically, the primary Wisdom Protector, destroying bonds that tie people to spiritual ignorance.
His image is manifested in a variety of forms, but he is always depicted as strong and muscular with short thick legs, symbolizing power and stability.
With his fierceness and strength, during the Yuan dynasty Mahakala was revered as the protector of the Mongol Empire and became a focus of the imperial cult. He was credited with intervening in key battles, and temples dedicated to this deity were built throughout the empire.
And the form of Panjarnata Mahakala, or the Lord of the Pavillion, the fierce protector deity of the Hevajra cycle of Tantras, is believed by some scholars to originate from the belief that he also served as a special protector of the Tibetan and Mongolian who lived in tents.
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
The back of the gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
Close-up of the base of the gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Panjarnata Mahakala
Here, the figure depicts Panjarnata Mahakala with a ferocious expression on his bearded face, lips parted showing teeth and fangs. His three bulging eyes are symbols of seeing the past, present, and future; or the manifestation of the three bodies of the Buddha.
He wears a crown of five human skulls, which represents the transmutation of the five kleśās (negative afflictions) into the five wisdom.
Standing in a militant posture with legs bent at the knee, he tramples a corpse – a symbol of all impediments to enlightenment. His hands are raised to hold a skull bowl on the left and a flaying knife on the right, but both are now missing.
Extremely finely cast, this figure must have been a highly important imperial commission, as supported by its exceptional size and the quality of the details fully in the round – from the ornamentations and clothing, to the bottom which even depicts his sex organ and the meticulous casting of the corpse he tramples on.
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
Closely intertwined with Mahakala in Tibetan Buddhism – whose most commonly cited early textual source is the Hevajra Tantra – Hevajra is the tantric Buddhist deity who personifies enlightenment and dances vigorously to symbolize the human soul's liberation from the snare of existence.
This dynamic tantric group depicts Hevajra with eight faces, four legs, and sixteen arms. Each of his hands holds a skull bowl, some on the right retaining separately cast animals that represent various illnesses and diseases, including a cat, a lion, and a horse. The bowls of the left hand hold Indian Hindu gods and face outwards representing skills, powers, and abilities.
With four legs, the two feet of the first pair are placed on the ground, represented by a double lotus base, while the legs of the second, or back pair, are drawn up in a dancing posture.
The consort Vajra Nairatmya has one face and two hands holding a curved knife and skull bowl. Adorned with bone ornaments and a necklace of fifty skulls, she stands with the left leg down and the right raised to embrace Hevajra.
Typically, the embracing couple would be framed by a circle of fire, representing the wisdom of enlightenment.
The back of the gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
Close-up of the gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
The base of the gilt-bronze figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra
Measuring 66 cm high, it should have been cast for important monasteries in Han China, as gifts to visiting Tibetan hierarchs were much smaller, usually 20 cm in height.
Comparable examples of these two remarkable imperial Buddhist sculptures could be found across public and private collections, including:
- Musée Cernuschi | Bodhisattva, Yongle-reign marked
- Victoria and Albert Museum | Mahasiddha Virupa, Yongle period
- Taipei Palace Museum | Mahakala, early Ming dynasty
- Formerly in the Gumpel Collection and later sold at Sotheby's New York | Tantric figure of Vajrabhairava and consort, early Ming dynasty
- Formerly in the Gumpel Collection and later sold at Christie's Hong Kong | Tantric figure of Vajrabhairava and consort, early Ming dynasty
Yongle-reign marked Bodhisattva in gilt bronze | The collection of Musée Cernuschi, Asian Arts Museum of Paris
A gilt-bronze figure of Mahakala, early Ming dynasty | The collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
A tantric gilt-bronze figure of Vajrabhairava and consort, early Ming dynasty | Formerly in the Gumpel Collection and later sold at Sotheby's New York
Sotheby's New York | Wrathful Deities: Masterworks from the Bodhimanda Foundation
Original Sale Date: 19 March 2023
Remarks: made to pursue private sale options