A GILT-BRONZE SEATED FIGURE OF DHARMATALA 19th century

A GILT-BRONZE SEATED FIGURE OF DHARMATALA 19th century The figure seated on a plinth, the face with a contemplative expression beneath the hair tied in a topknot, wearing long robes and carrying a case on his back, by his right foot a small tiger with stripes, holding a fly whisk and a vase, the base unsealed. 10.5cm (4 1/8in) high. Footnotes: Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價 十九世紀 銅鎏金達摩多羅尊者像 Provenance: Ben Janssens Oriental Art, London Provenance: 倫敦古董商 Ben Janssens Oriental Art The figure depicted in the present lot is probably to be identified as Dharmata/Dharmatala, an attendant to the sixteen arhats who had attained enlightenment. Dharmatala is often regarded as an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, and his iconography consistently features a fly whisk, a back-case filled with scrolls, and the presence of a tiger. The depiction of Dharmatala probably inherits its style from the Tang and Five Dynasties period Dunhuang artworks, such as the 'Tiger-taming Monk' or the illustrations of Xuanzang's pilgrimage. See Xie Jisheng, 'Fuhu luohan, xingjiao seng, baoshengrulai yu damoduoluo' (伏虎羅漢、行腳僧、寶勝如來與達摩多羅) in Palace Museum Journal, 2009 (vol.1), pp.76-96. See a related painting of a travelling monk accompanied with a tiger, a load of scrolls on his back and a fly whist, Tang dynasty, excavated from Dunhuang, in the collection of the British Museum (acc. no.1919,0101,0.168). Compare with a similar gilt-bronze figure of Dharmatala, 17th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 23 March 2010, lot 230. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing