A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AMITAYUS

MONGOLIA, ZANABAZAR SCHOOL, 18TH CENTURY

Footnotes

蒙古 扎納巴扎爾風格 十八世紀 銅鎏金無量壽佛像

Cast with an idealized physique and refined details, this gilt bronze figure represents Amitayus, The Buddha of Infinite Life. He is closely linked to Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, who is more often depicted in simple monk's robes. Here Amitayus appears in full bodhisattva guise, with crown and jewels, sitting elegantly with both hands resting in his lap, holding a richly decorated vase containing the elixir of immortality. The rhythmic treatment of his jewelry is particularly notable, with sumptuous crown leaves and earrings contrasting with the more restrained delineation of his necklace, armbands, and bracelets, which naturally draws attention to his handsome face, capturing the benevolent, tranquil essence of Amitayus.

The sculpture was created in the artistic idiom of Jebstundampa Khutukhtu Zanabazar (1635–1723), a Mongolian religious leader and master artist renowned for creating a unique style that incorporates elements from Newari, Chinese, and Pala sculptural traditions. Works in the Zanabazar style are characterized by lustrous gilding, smooth contours, as well as perfect proportions and details, as seen in the present figure. The fine arches of Amitayus' brows and his aquiline nose are also hallmarks of the Zanabazar school, as are the distinct lotus petals modeled in the round, with broad inner petals with upturned tips on top of identically-shaped, larger outer petals.

The current lot compares favorably to two other closely related gilt bronze figures of Amitayus from the Zanabazar school: one preserved in The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum, Ulaanbaatar, with very similar facial and body types, treatments of crown and hair, and almost identical base (HAR 50243); the other from the Collection of Altangerel Ayurzana, depicting the deity holding a similarly-designed, long-life vase wrapped in a piece of decorative textile with evenly arranged folds (see Ayurzana, Treasures of Mongolian Art, 2005, pp.38-9). Also see a Zanabazar-style gilt bronze Shadakshari with similar double-layered necklace design held in The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum, Ulaanbaatar (HAR 81407).

Provenance:
Ex-Collection of A. S. Mochin, a former Soviet architect