Vairocana Bronze, Tibet, 14th Century
Vairocana Bronze, Tibet, 14th Century. The present rare Tibetan bronze figure of Vairocana, dating to the 14th century, is seated in vajraparyankasana on a finely cast double-lotus base with beaded rims. The hands are held in bodhyagrimudra, expressing the union of wisdom (prajna) and skilful means (upaya). The body is adorned with a diaphanous dhoti, elaborate jewellery, and a billowing scarf, while the serene face, with softly hooded eyes and full lips, is surmounted by an ornate crown tied with ribbons.
Height: 27 cm (10 5/8 in.)
Provenance
The Burkhart Collection, acquired in Zug, 1998
來源：Burkhart舊藏，1998年獲得於瑞士楚格
Vairocana (Tib. rNam-par snang-mdzad), whose name may be translated as “the Illuminator,” occupies the central position within the cosmological mandala of the Five Tathāgatas (Pañcakula). As the embodiment of ultimate reality and universal knowledge, Vairocana presides over the centre of the Buddhist cosmos and is, in certain esoteric traditions, identified with the primordial Buddha, Mahāvairocana.
The present sculpture depicts Vairocana in a richly adorned, crowned form, reflecting the esoteric (Vajrayana) conception of the Buddha as a transcendent, royal figure. The use of bodhyagrimudra—a gesture uniting wisdom and method—is particularly associated with Vairocana and underscores his role as the source of enlightenment and the totality of Buddhist teaching, symbolised by the dharmacakra (Wheel of the Law).
Stylistically, the figure relates closely to Western Tibetan sculptural traditions of the 13th–14th century, characterised by:
- refined facial modelling with sensuous features
- crisply defined jewellery and crown elements
- elegantly proportioned lotus bases with beaded borders
Such features suggest production within a highly accomplished atelier operating under the artistic influences of Kashmir and the Western Himalayan regions, which shaped Tibetan metalwork during this period.
Large and finely cast representations of Vairocana from this period remain comparatively rare, particularly in this crowned and fully ornamented form, which reflects the sophisticated theological and artistic developments of late medieval Tibetan Buddhism.
Comparative Literature and Works
A related example of Vairocana, Western Tibet, 14th century, is illustrated in On the Path to Enlightenment: The Berti Aschmann Foundation of Tibetan Art at the Museum Rietberg Zurich (Zurich, 1995), p. 65.
Compare also a bronze figure of Vairocana, Tibet, 14th century, sold at Christie’s New York, 22 March 2011, lot 357.
