A LARGE AND FINELY INLAID SINO-TIBETAN GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF THE FOUR-ARMED GUANYIN, SHADAKSHARI LOKESHVARA, MING DYNASTY, 16TH TO EARLY 17TH CENTURY

Expert note:
Large-scale Sino-Tibetan gilt bronzes of this size (57 cm) are exceptionally rare. During the Ming dynasty, particularly from the 15th century onward, Tibetan Buddhism received sustained imperial patronage. Workshops active in and around Beijing produced images for court ritual, diplomatic exchange, and major monastic institutions, a tradition that continued into the 16th and early 17th centuries. Sculptures of this scale demanded considerable material and technical resources and were never ordinary devotional objects, but significant commissions reflecting deep political and religious investment. The present figure clearly conveys this elevated status. The extensive inlay of coral, turquoise, and lapis lazuli — numbering around one hundred precisely set beads — indicates sophisticated production consistent with high-level, court-associated workshops.
The separately cast double-lotus throne, weighing nearly nine kilograms, reinforces the monumentality of the ensemble. Its substantial mass is deliberate, physically and symbolically elevating the deity. The copper base plate incised with a double vajra corresponds to consecration practices characteristic of Sino-Tibetan bronzes produced within the Buddhist sphere of the Ming court. The combination of scale, sectional casting, lavish inlay, and formal sealing elements forms a coherent technical and iconographic language firmly anchored in elite Sino-Tibetan production of the 16th to early 17th century.

Superbly cast seated in vajraparyanksana on a separately cast double-lotus pedestal, with the principal hands pressed together in anjali mudra, the secondary left holding a lotus and the right a rosary, dressed in a short robe covering the shoulders, a long dhoti falling in richly carved folds and belted at the waist, and a billowing scarf draped over her arms and gathering on the base below her knees, and richly adorned with neatly beaded floral jewelry inlaid with turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli. The hems and scarf are intricately incised with foliate scroll against a minutely ring-punched ground.

The face with a serene expression detailed with heavy-lidded downcast eyes under arched brows centered by an urna, a slender nose, and bow-shaped lips forming a gentle smile. The hair pulled away from the face and tied into a high four-tiered chignon crowned by a jewel behind the elaborate five-leaf tiara, again all sumptuously inlaid with turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli.

The base sealed with a copper plate gracefully incised with a double vajra.

Provenance: The base inscribed with an old inventory number, ’10. B’. The present lot originates from a private estate in Washington State, USA, where it remained in professional art storage for several years following the death of its last owner, described by the heirs as “an affluent Aunt [who] passed away several years ago,” after which “her high-end collection went into storage.” The heirs, “tired of paying storage fees,” arranged for the entire holding to be released for sale, reportedly knowing “very little” about the numerous works and paintings involved; among the most significant pieces were a Tiffany Seven Light Lily Lamp and a painting by Claude Pissarro.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with expected wear and casting irregularities. Minute nicks, shallow surface scratches, small dings, light rubbing, and minor losses to the gilding. Losses to inlays, some possibly replaced or reattached, with traces of adhesive visible. Minor corrosion, small cracks, and casting flaws typical for this corpus, including pitting and recessed areas, as well as a large casting patch to the left side surrounded by several smaller patches. The lotus flower in the upper left hand partially lost. Remnants of old varnish. The underside of the base with remnants of red pigment. Overall presenting an exceptionally attractive, naturally developed patina.

Weight: 12.3 kg (excl. base), 21 kg (incl. base)
Dimensions: Height 45.8 cm (excl. base), 57 cm (incl. base)

Guanyin, the embodiment of universal compassion, could take many forms in Buddhist art of the Ming period. The positions of this figure’s four hands and the flower she holds identify her as a particular form of Avalokiteshvara known as Shadakshari Lokeshvara, the personification of the bodhisattva's six syllable (sadaksari) mantra, om mani padme hum (homage to the jewel in the lotus). The first known description of the mantra appears in the Karandavyuha Sutra compiled at the end of the 4th century or beginning of the 5th century AD, where Shakyamuni Buddha introduces Avalokiteshvara, and praises the mantra as being the most beneficial. The popularity of this mantra led to its personification and this form of Avalokiteshvara is the patron, and one of the most popular deities in Tibet. All Dalai Lamas are believed to be earthly manifestations of this deity.

The stylistic characteristics of this figure of the ‘God of Compassion’ indicate a casting date in the 16th century. The rounded, full face reflects the established Imperial canon of the 15th century, as seen in Xuande-period models, while the well-proportioned torso and carefully detailed lotus base continue this earlier courtly aesthetic.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related gilt bronze of Shadakshari Lokeshvara in the Norton Simon Museum, Tibetan Chinese, 16^th century, Norton Simon Art Foundation, from the Estate of Jennifer Jones Simon, height 30.5 cm.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 5 November 2013, lot 370
Price: GBP 242,500 or approx. EUR 399,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large and rare gilt-bronze figure of Marici, Ming dynasty, 16^th-17^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, and gilding, with similar jewelry, facial expression, and pedestal. Note the similar size (54 cm). Also note the complete lack of inlays.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 15 September 2014, lot 8076
Price: USD 173,000 or approx. EUR 210,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large and very rare gilt lacquered bronze figure of Guanyin, Late Ming dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of casting with similar jewelry, facial expression, and pedestal. Note the slightly larger size (71 cm). Also note the lacquer gilding, which is almost entirely lost, and the complete lack of inlays.