18th C. Tibetan Gilt Brass Vajrapani Figure

$3,995.00

In stock

Central Asia, Tibet, ca. 18th century CE. A powerful gilt brass figure of Vajrapani, the thunderbolt-wielding protector and guide of the Buddha, depicted with three glaring eyes and a wrathful expression. His right hand is raised, brandishing the vajra, symbolizing jnanavajra (the vajra of analytical knowledge) that cuts through ignorance and the clinging of consciousness. His dynamic posture, with one leg bent and the other extended, tramples upon a recumbent demon, asserting his dominion over chaotic forces. Vajrapani’s body is adorned with beaded jewelry, flowing scarves, and a necklace of skulls, emblems of his role as the fierce manifestation of enlightened energy. His head is crowned with a five-pointed bodhisattva crown, each point symbolizing the wisdom of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, representing the complete awakened state. His broad chest, muscular limbs, and intense visage convey both physical strength and transcendent authority, embodying his role as the protector of the dharma. Size: 2.3″ L x 6.3″ W x 9.6″ H (5.8 cm x 16 cm x 24.4 cm)

Wrathful yet compassionate, Vajrapani is often associated with the ancient yaksha spirits, generating fear not as punishment but as a force to dissolve rigidity, ego, and dogmatism. His presence served to remind practitioners that liberation is won through fearless confrontation with ignorance. This piece has been consecrated with a prayer cavity in the verso of the figure and on the underside of the base. The underside is further incised with a yin-yang motif alongside a double-vajra (visvavajra), sealing the figure with sacred potency. With remnants of gilding and darkened patina from centuries of ritual handling, this work encapsulates both the spiritual gravitas and the artistic finesse of Tibetan Buddhist metalwork.

Condition: Some light weathering and surface wear with a few minor chips and abrasions, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with nice detail and good remains of gilding.

Provenance: ex-P.T. collection, Queens, New York, USA

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