A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF ROLPAI DORJE, THE THIRD CHANGKYA HUTUKTU, QIANLONG PERIOD

Tibetan-Chinese, 1736-1795. Superbly cast seated with legs crossed and concealed under a smooth robe, the eyes with a piercing gaze beneath a high peaked monk's cap, the right hand held in front of the chest in vitarka mudra, the left hand resting open in the lap, and dressed in neatly arranged monk robes with foliate hems. The figure raised on a plinth formed from two cushions meticulously incised with floral and scroll designs, covered by a rug with stylized blossoms framed by a border of lozenges.

The base sealed with a rectangular plate richly incised with a double vajra.

Provenance: Ernest Ohly, Berkeley Galleries, London, 1972. The Presencer Collection of Buddhist Art, acquired from the above. Bonhams Hong Kong, 2 October 2018, lot 147, estimate of HKD 150,000 or EUR 18,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Ernest Ohly (d. 2008), nicknamed ‘Ernie the Dealer’ by his family, was an internationally renowned dealer of early and non-Western art based in London. In 1955, he inherited Berkeley Galleries, founded by his father William F. C. Ohly (1883-1955) in 1942, a trained sculptor who moved to Britain during WWII and became one of the pioneers of tribal and non-European art in the UK. His Berkeley Galleries and Abbey Art Centre and Museum were important features of the mid-20th century London art scene. Ernest ran the gallery after William’s death until 1977 but his interest in Far Eastern art, tribal art, and ceramics never ceased. He was a private man with a 'good eye', who would visit saleroom views with his friend the sculptor Gunther Bloch. A 16^th-century Benin bronze head from Ernest’s collection, originally acquired by his father and displayed in 1947 at the Berkely, locked in the vaults of Barclays Bank in London for 63 years, became known as the ‘Ohly Head’, one of the most valuable Benin Bronzes ever sold at a purported ten million pounds. Alain Presencer (b. 1939) is a renowned Tibetologist, collector, musician, and long-standing Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. He began studying Buddhism at age 13, later training under Professor Mathera Sadhatissa at the University of Toronto in 1961-1962, before relocating to the UK in the 1970s to immerse himself in Tibetan culture. Over the past 60 years, Alain brought to the West his knowledge of the Himalayan region. By gaining access to remote monasteries, he amassed a comprehensive collection of Tibetan Buddhist artifacts, encompassing thangkas, ritual implements, statues, mandala plaques, and singing bowls. He also produced a popular recording of his own performances, introducing this musical genre to a global audience with his album 'The Singing Bowls of Tibet', which has sold over a million copies to date. Significant pieces from his collection were sold at his personal sale at Bonhams Hong Kong on 2 October 2018. Subsequently, Alain Presencer wrote a book on his lifelong field of study, titled Tibetan Buddhist Art and published in 2019, featuring images of several objects from his collection.
Published: Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 61656.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, casting irregularities, few small nicks and light surface scratches, minor rubbing to gilt, some areas covered in an old varnish showing some flaking and dark soiling.

Weight: 1.5 kg
Dimensions: Height 16.6 cm

Rolpai Dorje (1717-86) was the principal authority of Tibetan Buddhism at the Chinese court for half a century during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. Brought as a young boy to the Yongzheng Emperor's court in 1724, Rolpai Dorje grew up with the prince who became the Qianlong Emperor. Later, Rolpai Dorje was appointed the Gelug regent of Inner Mongolia and served as the emperors' spiritual advisor. He was known by his Mongolian hereditary title of Changkya Hutuktu, ‘His Holiness’ or ‘The Great Blessed One’, an epithet for an eminent religious authority in the Qing dynasty milieu.

Expert’s note: The distinctive lotus hat, with the double flaps at the front and flat disc top, was favored by the Gelugpa and most prominently by the Panchen Lamas. In addition, it is characteristic of the Third Changkya Hutuktu, Rolpai Dorje. Although the oft-touted distinctive bump on the right cheek is not present here, the figure shows the same hand gestures, robes, and hat that typify sculptures of this important teacher. Bonhams Hong Kong, in their sale of The Presencer Collection of Buddhist Art, suggested the present figure could also depict either the fourth Panchen Lama Lobsang Chokyi Gyaltsen or one of the regents of Mongolia, Jetsun Dampa, but this author remains unconvinced by these theories as similar examples to prove them (which can be easily produced for Rolpai Dorje, see comparisons below) are nowhere to be found.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related smaller gilt brass alloy figure of Rolpai Dorje, dated 18^th-19^th century, 7.7 cm tall, in the Art Institute of Chicago, reference number 1925.388.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2024, lot 2930
Price: HKD 151,200 or approx. EUR 17,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt-copper figure of Changkya Rolpai Dorje, Tibet, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, gilding, and subject with similar pose, robe, hat, and size (16.8 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 14 March 2017, lot 3300
Price: USD 137,500 or approx. EUR 155,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large gilt copper alloy figure of the third Changkya Hutuktu, Rolpai Dorje, Qianlong period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, gilding, and subject. Note the size (33 cm) and that the base is unsealed.

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