Description
A rare Tibetan gilt bronze group, with the central figure of the Great Adept Padmasambhava seated in dhyanansana, on a lotus throne holding a vajra and patra, his consorts Mandarava, a Bengali princess and Tsogyal a Tibetan queen to his right and left respectively, all raised on an elaborate stand, 15th/16th century, 21.5cm. (3)
Provenance: Ernest Ohly Collection.
Padmasambhava, the 'Lotus Born', is said to have introduced Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century, where he is regarded as the second Buddha. His fame became known to Trisong Detsen, the first Emperor of Tibet (742-797), who invited him to Tibet where he used his tantric powers to subdue the evil deities, eventually receiving the Emperor's wife as a consort. He founded the first monastery in the country and initiated the first monks. A piece with a similar elaborate stand and overall configuration, but with the central figure of Maitreya is illustrated by Von Schroeder in Indo Tibetan Bronzes, p. 434, no. 115b.