Provenance:
Galerie Koller, Zurich, November 26 & 27, 1993, no. 104
Sotheby’s, New York, March 23, 2000, no. 9
European Private Collection
Published:
Jeff Watt, Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 11651
Sangpo Bumtri occupies a central place in Bon theology as the primordial creator deity and one of the Four Transcendent Lords. Regarded as the source from whom the universe and all living beings arise, he stands at the head of the Bon pantheon. Medieval representations of Sangpo Bumtri are comparatively uncommon, making each surviving example an important source for understanding the early artistic tradition of Bon.
This carved wood plaque depicts the deity seated in dhyanasana within a shallow architectural niche. His left hand rests in dhyana mudra, while his right holds a dhvaja (banner). He wears a short dhoti, foliate armbands, necklaces, disc earrings, and a three-leaf crown. The throne is carved with pairs of lions, rampant vyalas, and makaras from whose mouths emerge scrolling foliage, while garudas appear above and below the niche. A beaded border frames the slightl- pointed arch, drawing the eye toward the composed figure at its center.
Despite the richness of the surrounding carving, the sculptor keeps Sangpo Bumtri firmly at the center of the composition. The lively animals and scrolling foliage frame rather than overwhelm the seated deity, giving the plaque a quiet sense of order and devotional focus.
For an analysis of the etymology of his name see P. Kvaerne, The Bon Religion of Tibet, Boston, 2001, pp. 26-27.
