UNUSUAL LARGE FIGURE OF MAITREYA BODHISATTVA.
Sinotibetan. Qing Dynasty.

Bronze with shiny green patina. Double lotus base closed. Maitreya is represented here as one of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas close to Buddha with an extremely sweet and gentle countenance with downcast eyes standing in tribhanga. The hair is arranged in a tall chignon with a jeweled five-leaf crown and heavy earring. He wears jewels and a dhoti with pearls. Both hands in dharmachakra mudra are holding the stems of lotus flowers with the wheel of law (chakra) at his right and the ritual water ewer (kundika) at his left shoulder. According to the usual convention in this depiction male and female elements are combined. Complete height 71cm. Condition A/B.

Provenance:
-Private collection the Netherlands.

Literature:
-Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art: Treasures of Tibetan Art; Collections of the
Museum. Oxford 1996. P.139-144.
Art trade; Van Ham.