TIBETO-CHINESE, 18TH CENTURY

Serenely seated in dhyanasana on a double lotus base with a beamed rim, the present bodhisattva has her left hand in varadamudra (gesture of charity) and her right hand in vitarkamudra (gesture of debate and discussion). She is dressed in a dhoti with a hem incised with a foliate pattern and is adorned with jewellery set with semi-precious stones. Her hair is tied into a tall coiffure that falls elegantly onto her shoulder, framed by a delicate tiara. The lotus base features a pair of lotus stems rising up, flanking the bodhisattva and blooming beside her shoulders.
Among 18^th-century gilt-bronze bodhisattvas, the composition of the present lot can be compared to one sold at Christie’s New York on 21 March 2012, lot 810. However, the finishing and rendering of the subject are more closely comparable to lot 219 sold at Christie’s New York on 23 March 2010 for $47,500.