A COPPER-INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF CINTANAMI MAHAKALA, 17TH-18TH CENTURYTibetan-Chinese. Heavily cast, standing atop a separate lotus base with beaded rim, the primary hands before the chest, with four hands in apan mudra, dressed in a dhoti tied at the waist and neatly incised, adorned with beaded jewelry and dharma wheel at the belly, the back with a blossom jewel, a streaming ribbon draped over the shoulders, the face with a wrathful expression, open mouth revealing sharp fangs, curling beard, bulging eyes, the flaming hair behind a skull tiara. The teeth, two toes, and earrings with very fine copper inlays.Provenance: From a German private collection, acquired before 2007.Condition: Extensive wear, few losses, small nicks, light scratches, old metal fills, and some casting irregularities. The base cast separately.Weight: 1,017 gDimensions: Height 17.2 cmMahakala belongs to the class of dharmapalas or protectors of the Buddhist Faith. According to Tibetan tradition, the dharmapalas are pre-Buddhist local deities. They were subdued by the great master Padmasambhava and included in the pantheon as fierce defenders of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan iconographic texts describe seven various forms of Mahakala. This six-armed form is known as Cintamani Mahakala or the 'Mahakala with the Wish Bestowing Gem'.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s Paris, 8 June 2010, lot 321Price: EUR 39,400 or approx.EUR 51,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A partially gilded bronze statue of Cintamanimahakala, Tibet, 18th centuryExpert remark:pare the related subject, pose, and style of the dhoti. Note the intact gilding and much larger size (27.5 cm).十七至十八世紀六臂大黑天銅像漢藏。本尊造像直立，一面六臂，頭戴骷髏冠，頂豎忿怒髪，雙目圓睜，粗眉上揚，張嘴露齒，耳戴銅耳飾，面相兇忿。胸前飾瓔珞，手臂掛有臂釧，六臂分施不同手印，肢體粗壯有力。整體處理的細緻到位，通體鎏金，水亮厚實，面部生動攝人。牙齒、兩隻腳趾和耳環都鑲有非常精細的銅。