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Superhuman
strength at the center of a whirlwind of mighty energy is concentrated in this
guardian figure, intended to represent the limitless power of pristine wisdom
to dispel all obstructions to Buddha consciousness. This type of Lokapala was
developed during the 7th Century Tang dynasty period, an era in which figure statues
were influenced from the Roman empire. Chinese sculpture became increasingly three
dimensional and highly individuated, and artists were freed from strict adherence
to formal, frontal composition. This guardian statue displays the Tang temperament
as preferring exaggerated action, where every plane is conceived in terms of restlessness
and movement, with flying drapery entwined with the richly modeled torso. A guardian
is intended to terrify and this he does by the ferocity of his facial expression,
by the bulging muscularity of his body, (the ligaments and veins under his skin
can be seen standing out ) and above all by a tense, poised swiftness conveyed
by the pose and by the swirl of drapery around the shoulders. He carries the vajra
as a thunderbolt to destroy the enemies of Truth. The fine carving and variegated
tones in the wood intensify the illusion of movement that animates this forceful
work. Sold
To Private Collection |