Footnotes

This beautiful sculpture depicts the young goddess Syamatara, who is venerated as a liberator, able to free devotees from the chain of birth and rebirth and all the suffering that ensues. In myth, she emerged from the tears of Avalokiteshvara as he wept for the suffering of all sentient beings. It is a testament to her supreme compassion and agency. As such, she is depicted with her right leg outstretched, ready to respond to one's suffering, and her right hand in the gesture of charity.

The exquisitely worked, separate lotus stems and crown are hallmarks of the finest work from Dolonnor in Inner Mongolia, which catered to the rapid expansion of Tibetan Buddhist temples along the border regions of the Qing empire, particularly under the Qianlong emperor (r.1735-95). However, there is flair and creativity about the present sculpture that may indicate it predates his reign.

The treatment of common stylistic features, such as the large pendant earrings, long chain necklace, and the broad, smooth lotus petals around the base, compare favorably with a Manjushri in the Rietberg Museum, and figures of Ushnishavijaya and Maitreya in the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, New York (see Uhlig On the Path to Enlightenment, Zurich, 1990, p.114, no.65; and Lipton & Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan Art, New York, 1996, pp.116 & 140, nos.51 & 68, respectively). Further examples in the Kandell Collection are published in Rhie & Thurman, A Shrine for Tibet, New York, 2010, pp.76-9, nos. I-14a,b & I-15a,b. Also see Bonhams, New York, 17 March 2014, lot 27.

Provenance
Private Asian Collection


銅鎏金錘疊綠度母像
多倫諾爾，清朝，十八世紀
喜馬拉雅藝術資源網2436號
高33.7釐米（13 1/4英吋）

400,000-600,000港元

此尊貌美的綠度母現少女相，化身救度佛母引導世人從痛苦與輪迴中得以解脫。傳說綠度母是觀世音菩薩為眾生苦難而哭泣時其眼淚所化現，擁有無限的慈悲與法力。綠度母右手施與願印，給與世人願望滿足，右足伸展採蓮花，隨時准備起身救度苦難眾生。

綠度母手持之蓮花與頭戴之寶冠均工藝精湛且獨立製作而成，為內蒙古多倫諾爾寺的典型作法。清政府，特別是於乾隆時期（1735-95年在位），在邊界處大肆興建藏傳佛教寺廟，多倫諾爾寺亦大量製作造像以滿足其需求 。然而，此拍品具有獨特的設計與韻味，其年代亦可能早於乾隆時期。

綠度母的大吊墜耳環、長珠串項鍊、以及寬厚蓮瓣等細節均與三尊博物館藏造像風格相似，分別為蘇黎世瑞騰伯格美術館的一尊文殊菩薩，以及紐約Jacques Marchais西藏藝術博物館的尊勝佛母和彌勒菩薩造像 （參見Uhlig ，On the Path to Enlightenment， 蘇黎世， 1990年，頁114， 65號；以及 Lipton與Ragnubs， Treasures of Tibetan Art，紐約， 1996年，頁116 及 140，51與68號）。Kandell 珍藏中亦有多件可比作品，出版於Rhie與Thurman，A Shrine for Tibet，紐約， 2010年，頁76-9， I-14a,b & I-15a,b號。另可參考邦翰斯，紐約，2014年3月17日，拍品27號。

來源
亞洲私人收藏