This beautiful bronze image inlaid with semi-precious stones and silver inlay represents the goddess who is known for her gentle kindness as well as her ability to save people from the dangerous states they get themselves into. In the India of the 5th-8th century a great number of hymns were composed to Tara which were intended to be sung by people who were in great danger or situations of strife. By singing them it was believed that Tara herself would swiftly descend and restore the situation to normalcy.
In this image from the 15th century or possibly some time before that period - perhaps as early as the 14th century - we see Tara looking at the viewer with a faint smile and with her silver-inlaid eyes giving her an almost lifelike aura. The design on her garments suggest that the artisan was familiar with Indian luxury fabrics of the period and they reflect her high status. Her left hand holds a lotus which represents her absolute purity and informs the viewer about Tara's own youthful virginity. This purity is suggested here in her lack of breast development and she is most often represented as a more mature young woman. Only very rarely do we find an image of her as a young maiden, making this an image of particular rarity.
Tara holds her right hand in the gesture of generosity while her raised left hand show the gesture of protection from harmful forces. The base on which she sits is created in the style commonly found in western India as well as in the Bengal of the 10th century. This leads to the idea that this image which was created in Tibet by someone who was intimately familiar with the earlier Indian styles of representing her in images. This is a particularly charming and lively image and shows the ability of the artisan to convey several different aspects of the deity's nature at the same time. It is to be noted that there also exist a number of images of Tara where she is depicted as a fully mature woman often seated in an extremely relaxed manner and shown with a slightly generous bodily proportion. (Dr. David Templeman, Monash University)
十四至十五世紀 西藏銀錯銅鎏金度母坐像
此尊造像以銅鎏金鑄造，並飾半寶石及銀錯工藝，表現佛教中最受崇敬的女性本尊之一——度母（Tārā）。度母以慈悲柔和著稱，被視為救度眾生脫離各種險難與怖畏的守護者。早在五至八世紀的印度，便已有大量讚頌度母的讚歌與祈禱文流傳於世，供身處危難、疾病或困厄中的信眾誦念。依據傳統信仰，虔誠持誦其名號與讚頌文，便能感得度母迅速示現救護，使艱難處境得以化解。
本像年代約為十五世紀，亦不排除可早至十四世紀。度母面容安詳，雙目以銀錯工藝鑲嵌，目光炯炯有神，彷彿具有生命力；嘴角微含笑意，更流露出其慈悲溫和的本質。衣飾紋樣繁縟精美，顯示工匠對當時印度高級絲織品裝飾風格有深刻理解，並藉此彰顯度母尊貴崇高的神格地位。
度母左手執蓮花莖，蓮花象徵清淨無染與究竟圓滿的德性，同時亦寓意度母本身純潔無垢的本質。值得注意的是，本像刻意塑造出較為年輕的女性形象，其胸部發育尚未完全成熟，與藏傳佛教藝術中常見的成熟端莊度母有所不同。此類以少女形態呈現的度母造像極為罕見，因而使本像更具特殊性與收藏價值。
度母右手下施與願印，象徵布施、慈悲與滿足眾生所求；左手則結護佑印，寓意救護眾生免受災難與一切有害力量侵擾。兩種手印共同體現度母慈悲濟世與廣施救度的神聖職能。
其所坐蓮座的樣式值得特別關注。蓮座造型與裝飾風格可追溯至十世紀西印度及孟加拉地區佛教造像傳統，說明本像雖製作於西藏，但創作者對早期印度佛教藝術具有深刻認識，並有意延續其經典造型語彙。這種跨地域藝術傳統的承襲，正反映出印度佛教藝術對西藏造像發展的深遠影響。
整體而言，本像氣韻生動而富於親和力，不僅成功展現度母慈悲、清淨與救護眾生等多重面向，更充分體現工匠卓越的藝術表現能力。須知在藏傳佛教藝術中，亦有不少度母造像被塑造成體態成熟豐盈、神情悠然自在的女性形象；相較之下，本像以青春少女之姿示現，實屬罕見而別具特色之作。其精美的銀錯工藝、優雅的人物比例及鮮明的宗教象徵意涵，均使其成為十四至十五世紀西藏佛教藝術中極具代表性的精品 -——墨爾本蒙納士大學 戴維‧坦普曼（David Templeman）教授
33.5cm high
Estimate $6,000 - $8,000
There is a small loss to one coral inlay on the necklace. Otherwise, the figure is in overall good condition.
The opinions expressed in the condition reports are a guide only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Prospective buyers are encouraged to seek further information or request additional images during our pre-sale period where Leonard Joel staff are available for advice. Please note condition reports can be amended during the pre-sale period, so we strongly suggest any interested bidders check the published condition report available on the website before the auction commences. Leonard Joel makes no guarantee of the originality of mechanical or applied components. Absence of reference to such modifications does not imply that a lot is free from modifications.
An important private collection of Himalayan Art, NSW.
Important Chinese & Asian Art
AUCTION
Sale: LJ8825
11:00am - 25 October 2026
Hawthorn
VIEWING
Thurs 22 - Sat 24 October, 11am - 5pm
2 Oxley Rd, Hawthorn VIC
CONTACT
Luke Guan
luke.guan@leonardjoel.com.au
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