Antique Tibetan Tara statue in fire-gilded bronze – lot 463

This antique Tibetan Tara statue is a powerful example of Vajrayana art, crafted for use within a monastic context. The statue is large, heavy, and solid, cast in bronze, and was originally partially fire-gilded. Remnants of this fire-gilded gold are still visible in protected zones, while the warm reddish-brown tones on the body were created by centuries of ritual use, touch, incense smoke, and natural oxidation.

Tara is depicted in a posture that combines tranquility and readiness: not withdrawn into meditation, but ready to act. This reflects her role as the embodiment of active compassion and protection within Tibetan Buddhism. The crown, jewelry, and lotus base confirm her status as a bodhisattva, an enlightened being who remains consciously in the world to help others.

Manually scratched ritual markings are visible on the surface, including rosette and lotus-shaped patterns crossed by clear lines. These are not decoration, but marks of consecration and sealing applied after casting to ritually activate and protect the statue. The fact that these markings have fully oxidized along with the surface confirms their age and long-standing religious function. The openwork lotus structure on the back of the base is a deliberate symbolic element and not a technical opening. It represents openness, flow, and spiritual presence, a characteristic found especially in older Tibetan statues that were actually used in religious practice. Dimensions: height approx. 80 cm, width approx. 50 cm Weight: approx. 24.2 kg This is not a decorative object, but an authentic ritual statue with depth, history, and spiritual presence, intended to function within Buddhist practice.

Each object is examined before it is offered: material, casting or carving technique, surface, and signs of age are compared with documented references. You will receive a certificate of authenticity and an official invoice detailing the period, material, and available provenance.

How we verify authenticity

Fully insured worldwide shipping in museum-quality packaging. Returns are sent to our Dutch address and you have a 14-day cooling-off period.

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