A Magnificent and Extremely Rare Polychrome Wood and Gesso Sculpture of Guhyasadhana Avalokitesvara Ming dynasty, Xuande period the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara seated in vajraparyankasana, the diamond posture, with his principal hands held together in anjali mudra, the gesture of salutation, his secondary hands held at shoulder level with their attributes of a mala and padma, the rosary and lotus flower, both now lost but with the lotus stem remaining in the proper left hand, the deity in union with his prajna, the embodiment of female wisdom, her head tilted in devotion to meet his face, her arms reaching over the shoulders of Avalokitesvara and holding the kartrika, a flaying knife, in her right hand, and the kapala, a human skull cup, now lost from her left, the toes curled in ecstasy, both adorned in tall peaked crowns set among hair pulled high in topknots, the Avalokitesvara's hair painted black with residual traces of lapis lazuli, with both deities wearing elaborate bodhisattva jewelery, a circular plug on the underside of the two deities sealing an apparently undisturbed chamber (see fig 4 for a CAT-scan revealing what appears to be scrolled consecration material within), seated on a separate waisted pedestal of lotus petals arranged between bands of pearls (2) overall height 22 in., 55.9 cm
A Magnificent and Extremely Rare Polychrome Wood and Gesso Sculpture of Guhyasadhana Avalokitesvara Ming dynasty, Xuande period the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara seated in vajraparyankasana, the diamond posture, with his principal hands held together in anjali mudra, the gesture of salutation, his secondary hands held at shoulder level with their attributes of a mala and padma, the rosary and lotus flower, both now lost but with the lotus stem remaining in the proper left hand, the deity in union with his prajna, the embodiment of female wisdom, her head tilted in devotion to meet his face, her arms reaching over the shoulders of Avalokitesvara and holding the kartrika, a flaying knife, in her right hand, and the kapala, a human skull cup, now lost from her left, the toes curled in ecstasy, both adorned in tall peaked crowns set among hair pulled high in topknots, the Avalokitesvara's hair painted black with residual traces of lapis lazuli, with both deities wearing elaborate bodhisattva jewelery, a circular plug on the underside of the two deities sealing an apparently undisturbed chamber (see fig 4 for a CAT-scan revealing what appears to be scrolled consecration material within), seated on a separate waisted pedestal of lotus petals arranged between bands of pearls (2) overall height 22 in., 55.9 cm
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
