SINO-TIBETAIN WORK - QIANLONG period (1736-1795) - Lot 119

SINO-TIBETAIN WORK - QIANLONG period (1736-1795) Portable altar in bronze and gilded copper, decorated with ruby and chalcedony inlays, enamel, granulated and filigree, representing the Swayambhunath stupa in Kathmandu. The sanctuary can be recognized by its location at the top of a hill cut by a steep staircase, between two shikara templions and by the presence of monkeys. Guarded by two monks, the stupa with its high parasol (chhattri) faces a monumental vajra and is honored by two vidyadharas. All around, a luxuriant foliage of scrolls encrusted with cabochons and green enamel unfolds. The background is chased with clouds. (Minor dents, oxidation, enamel breaks, one branch detached). On the reverse is a chased representation of Mahakala Panjarnata (protector of the tent) surmounted by the Qianlong mark in zhuanshu. Dim. 43.4 x 37.2 cm References This portable altar in bronze and gilded copper represents the stupa of Swayambhunath, an emblematic site in the Kathmandu Valley and a major symbol of Buddhist faith. The stupa, nicknamed the "Monkey Temple" because of the strong presence of monkeys on the site, stands atop a hill to the west of the city, accessible by a steep staircase. Surrounded by two shikara temples (sugar loaf roofs), it is easy to identify. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Buddhist world. Founded according to legend by the emperor Ashoka or, according to the 14th-century cosmological text, the Gopālarājavamśāvalī, by Licchavi kings in the 5th century CE, the site has been the object of particular attention from the Buddhist world, undergoing regular restoration campaigns patronized or directed by sovereigns or religious authorities from various Buddhist countries. In the 18th century, the Swayambhu stupa underwent several restoration campaigns aimed at restoring the site and renewing its consecration. A key figure in these renovations was Katok Rigdzin Tsewang Norbu (1698-1755), a lama of the Nyingma tradition from U-Tsang in Tibet, who led these campaigns under the injunction of divine visions. Although the Qing emperors were closer to the Gelugpa tradition, ensuring them political power in Tibet, these successive restoration campaigns, carried out with great fanfare by the Tibetan religious authorities, may have awakened a new interest in this major Nepalese site on the part of the Qianlong emperor. This altar bearing the Qianlong mark may be a sign of this. The production of miniature stupas, small devotional objects of great luxury, was quite common during the Qianlongii reign, but no other representation of the Swayambhunath stupa is known. The altar is a subtle blend of artistic and spiritual influences. The object evokes both miniature Chinese stupas and Newar votive mandalas, made in three-dimensional gilded bronze. While the stupa chosen evokes Nepalese Buddhism, here it adopts a Tibetan form: the dome (anda), traditionally spherical, is transformed into a more ovoid shape, characteristic of Tibetan chörten. The techniques employed, such as gold filigree and enamel, are typically Chinese. An eloquent testimony to a period marked by profound cultural and spiritual exchanges between China and the Himalayan world - the heart of Buddhism in the 18th century - this altar embodies a refined synthesis of symbols and craftsmanship. i Ehrhard, Franz-Karl. "A Renovation of Svayambhūnāth-Stupa in the 18th Century and its History (according to Tibetan sources)." In Ancient Nepal - Journal of the Department of Archaeology, Number 114, October-November 1989, 1-8. ii The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros horn Carvings, Beijing, 2002, N°171 to 178, pp. 188 - 199