A COPPER INLAID BRASS FIGURE OF ARAPACHANA MANJUSHRI WESTERN TIBET,...

A COPPER INLAID BRASS FIGURE OF ARAPACHANA MANJUSHRI
WESTERN TIBET, POSSIBLY GUGE, 11TH CENTURY
Himalayan Art Resources item no. 7946
14.4 cm (5 5/8 in.) high
藏西 或古格 十一世紀 銅錯銀文殊菩薩像

Arapachana Manjushri, the bodhisattva of Perfected Wisdom, is a meditational deity and the embodiment of the mantra, 'A Ra Pa Cha Na'. Appearing on Gandharan sculpture with inscriptions and early Mahayana texts during the first centuries of the Common Era, these five syllables are a mnemonic to fundamental precepts of Buddhism. 'A', the essence of all Dharma without beginning; 'Ra', the Dharma free of impurities; 'Pa', expounding on the ultimate truth; 'Cha', the Dharma detached from the cycle of death and rebirth; and 'Na', the nature of the Dharma devoid of name or form. When combined, these syllables represent the culmination of all Buddhist knowledge. In his right hand, Arapachana brandishes a sword with a petal-shaped cross guard, poised to slash away ignorance and illusion brought about by the phenomenal realm. In his left, he gently grasps the Prajnaparamita sutra, a foundational Buddhist text of which Manjushri represents the male counterpart to Prajnaparamita, the goddess of Supreme Wisdom.

Centuries of ritual handling have imparted this figure with a smooth golden surface, contrasting brilliantly against the reddish-brown copper inlays that embellish the figure's nipples and ample lower lip. Its style, comprising such elements including a tri-leaf crown and cruciform navel are ultimately derived from the art that was introduced into West Tibet from the North Indian regions of Kashmir. This artistic transmission was made possible through the efforts of the famous translator, Rinchen Zangpo (958-1055). In addition to transporting Indian texts back to Tibet, Rinchen Zangpo is credited to have returned with thirty-two Kashmiri artisans and craftsmen. This was done at the royal bequest of Yeshe-O (c. 959-1040), the King of the Guge Kingdom who funded the construction of monasteries, temples, and shrines across the western Himalayan region. Evidence of this early artistry survives in monasteries like Nako and Tabo, as well as painted folios that were originally made for Tholing monastery. Two examples from Tholing that are now preserved in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art bear worthwhile consideration with the present work, as both depict deities with matching lower garments and long garlands (Linrothe (ed.), Collecting Paradise, 2014, pp. 124-5, figs. 2.21 & 2.22). Other details, such as a tapering chin and curved strands of hair that fall onto their shoulders draw similarity to a handful of sculptures, three of which are published in von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, pp. 152-3, nos. 28D-F. Lastly, compare with a silver figure of Manjushri published in, Images of Faith, A Private Collection of Himalayan Art, 2008, cover, no. 1, in addition to a brass figure of a deity that was sold in Christie's, New York, 20 March 2019, lot 629.

Published
The Light of the Buddha: Buddhist Sculptures of the Palace Museum and Zhiguan Museum of Fine Art, Beijing, 2019, pp. 110-1, no. 18.

Exhibited
The Light of the Buddha: Buddhist Sculptures of the Palace Museum and Zhiguan Museum of Fine Art, Beijing, 23 October – 23 December 2018

Provenance
A Distinguished Asian Collector