Provenance:
Rossi & Rossi Ltd., London
Collection of Gursharan and Elvira Sidhu
The wrathful protector of the Dharma, known as “the Immovable One,” is depicted striding vigorously to his right in alidhasana on the prostrate elephant-headed Vinayaka. He brandishes a sword in his raised right hand and his left hand holds a noose and displays tarjani mudra, an expression of admonition.
His fearsome expression is highlighted by silver-inlaid fangs, bulging round eyes inset with copper, and stylized flaming eyebrows centering a gold-inset urna. He is wearing a tiger-skin dhoti, long meditation cord, wind-swept scarf, naga bracelets and anklets, jeweled necklaces and chokers inlaid with silver, large disc earrings, and foliate crown inlaid with silver and copper with billowing sashes at the sides. The aureole surrounding the figure is bordered by an openwork design of stylized flames.
The lotus design on the pedestal and sculptural style of the figure itself reveals a strong tie stylistically to the Indian tradition during the Pala period. Many treasured works from Eastern India found their way to Lhasa and other monastic sites in Tibet, carried by monks from India or Buddhist pilgrims returning to Tibet. Compare von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Vol. II, Hong Kong, 2001, pp. 1112-3, nos. 291A-E.
