Gilt Bronze Figure Manibhadra
Gilt Bronze Figure Manibhadra, this fine Tibeto-Chinese gilt bronze represents Manibhadra, wearing flowing robes, boots and sumptuous jewellery, and seated astride his richly caparisoned mount, as one of eight horsemen in the entourage of the warrior king Vaishravana, Buddhist protector and Guardian of the North. The iconography of Vaishravana was particularly popular with Buddhist practitioners in the Qing dynasty.
Manibhadra – Guardian of Wealth and the Faithful
A Rare Gilt-Copper Alloy Figure of Manibhadra
清十八世紀 銅合金鎏金瑪尼缽陀羅坐像
Qing dynasty, 18th century, Tibeto-Chinese
Provenance: Property from the Collection of the Late Robert Willocx (1932 – 2023)
Qing dynasty, 18th century
Height 18.5 cm.
This exceptional 18th-century Tibeto-Chinese gilt-copper alloy sculpture depicts Manibhadra, the revered guardian of wealth and protector of the faithful, in a powerful and dynamic pose. Seated astride a spirited horse, the deity exudes commanding presence, his fierce expression and animated stance symbolizing both his protective force and the abundance he bestows.
A figure of rare quality and presence, this work reflects the strong syncretic artistic traditions of the Qing period, blending Tibetan devotional iconography with Chinese craftsmanship. The skillfully rendered details—such as the fine incising on the armor, the expressive modeling of the face, and the subtle gilding—underscore its ritual significance and aesthetic refinement.
With distinguished provenance from the esteemed collection of Robert Willocx (1932–2023), a noted connoisseur of Asian art, this figure stands as a testament to the enduring spiritual and material symbolism of Manibhadra across Himalayan cultures.
*Manibhadra is the name of a mahāsiddha, of which eighty-four in total are recognized in Vajrayāna (tantric buddhism). His title is “the happy housewife”. He lived somewhere between the 8th and the 12th century AD.
Maṇibhadra (Sanskrit: ‘as excellent as a jewel’) is one of the major yakshas. He was a popular deity in ancient India. Maṇibhadra. God of Property.
Maṇibhadra (Sanskrit: ‘as excellent as a jewel’) is one of the major yakshas. He was a popular deity in ancient India.
Buddhism: In Samyukta Nikaya, Manibhadra is said to reside in the Manimala chaitya in Magadha. Yaksha Manibhadra is invoked in The Exalted Manibhadra’s Dhārani.
