A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF TARA, NEPAL, 14TH-15TH CENTURY

A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF TARA, NEPAL, 14TH-15TH CENTURY Finely cast and well worn, seated in lalitasana atop a double lotus dais, her left foot resting on a small lotus platform issuing from the base, her right hand lowered in varada mudra and her left in vitarka mudra holding a lotus stem. Dressed in a diaphanous dhoti engraved with folds and geometric patterns, and richly adorned in fine jewelry with two inlays still preserved. Her hair tightly arranged in a jewel-topped chignon behind a foliate tiara. Provenance: From an old private collection in France. Viennese private collection, acquired from the above. The interior of the base with an old collector’s label, ‘Tara-bronzé doré. XIVsec Nepal.’ Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with extensive wear predominantly from centuries of worship within the culture. Expected casting flaws, minor nicks, few scratches, rubbing to gilt, and minor losses. Weight: 405 g Dimensions: Height 11.9 cm Literature comparison: Compare a related Nepalese standing figure of Tara wearing similar jewelry, 10.3 cm high, dated to the 14th century, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, accession number 1972.364. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 28 March 2024, lot 8 Price: USD 12,600 or approx. EUR 11,500 converted at the time of writing Description: A gilt-bronze figure of Tara, Nepal, 15th century Expert remark: Compare the related style, manner of casting, and inlays. Note the larger size (17.5 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 21 March 2024, lot 846 Price: USD 8,255 or approx. EUR 7,700 converted at the time of writing Description: A gilt-bronze figure of Green Tara, Tibet or Nepal, 15th/16th century Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, pose, jewelry, and base. Note the smaller size (9.5 cm).