A GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF THE MAHASIDDHA VIRUPA, 18TH – 19TH CENTURY
Lot 81 - HS1225

Tibetan-Chinese. Well cast, seated in lalitasana on a double lotus base draped with an antelope skin, dressed in a short dhoti and adorned with beaded jewelry, his right hand cradling a kapala, the other raised with the fingers pointing upwards, his bearded face finely painted and skillfully modeled with almond-shaped eyes, arched brows, and bow-shaped lips, flanked by large spiral earrings, the hair arranged in an elaborate high chignon behind a turquoise-inlaid floral tiara. The copper sealing plate engraved with a crossed-vajra symbol.

Provenance: German private collection. A private collection in the Netherlands, acquired from the above.
Condition: Good condition with minor wear and casting irregularities, small dents to the base, scattered tiny nicks, extensive remnants of pigment, wear to inlays, small areas of verdigris.

Weight: 1,730 g
Dimensions: Height 19 cm

The Indian mystic, Virupa is credited with performing many extraordinary deeds, including parting the waters of the Ganges and drinking enormous amounts of alcoholic beverages. Once he was refused further liquor at a tavern unless he could pay, upon which he prevented the sun from setting for two days with his magical powers. The local king, highly concerned, settled his bill in order to free the sun. Here, he is here depicted with his right arm raised in the threatening gesture of tarjani mudra, ordering the sun not to move. Virupa lived in the ninth century in southern India and studied at the University of Nalanda. He was known for his comments on the Hevajra Tantra.

Mahasiddha may be translated as "Great Attainer" and implies a mystical teacher who is free-thinking and often eccentric, who has mastered the various yogic techniques and attained unusual magical and spiritual powers. Virupa, the Lord of Yoga, is venerated foremost in magical attainments among the 84 Mahasiddhas of India. He is pivotal within all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. In the Sakya, Virupa is typically depicted in one or all of the six prescribed forms that follow the major events in his life story. The Sakya iconographic convention for depicting Virupa is to have the right hand raised for depicting the narrative of stopping the sun in the sky.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 10 December 2014, lot 34
Price: EUR 55,500 or approx. EUR 69,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Statuette de Mahasiddha en Bronze Doré, Chine, Dynastie Qing, XVIIIème
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, and subject with similar pose. Note the different size (10 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 22 June 2016, lot 66
Price: EUR 39,900 or approx. EUR 48,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt-bronze figure of a mahasiddha, Tibet, 18^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, and subject. Note the size (14.5 cm).