X-Ray Images: Available upon request. These images suggest the possible presence of sacred contents. Since the figures are hermetically sealed and must remain unopened, confirming their contents is impossible, leaving their nature uncertain. The images also confirm the exceptional casting precision, a hallmark of Imperial bronzes from the Qianlong reign.

China, 1736-1795. Each superbly cast, seated atop a lotus base draped with pendent tabs over the beaded rim, wearing a flowing dhoti with meticulously incised floral hems, the slender body framed by billowing sashes and adorned with minutely beaded jewelry. The faces sensitively modeled, gilt, and finely painted with sinuously lidded eyes, elegantly arched brows, and bow-shaped lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by elongated lobes, the blue hair falling in wavy tresses along the shoulders and pulled up into a high chignon behind the foliate tiara. (4)

Each base is sealed with a copper plate incised with a double vajra.

Inscriptions: The upper rim of each lotus base centered by a rectangular plaque cast in relief with a seven-character mark da Qing Qianlong nian jingzao and of the period. The lower rim is incised to the front with the name of the bodhisattva and the back of the base with the tantric class associated with the room the sculpture belongs to :

1. The front: ‘Vajrabhasa Bodhisattva (Jingangyu Pusa, 金剛語菩薩)’
The back: ‘Central to the study of the half lotus pose (banjia genben, 半跏根本)’

2. The front: ‘Mahugeda Bodhisattva (Mahugeda Tian Pusa, 嘛呼噶達天菩薩)’
The back: ‘Central to the study of light (guangxiang genben, 光項根本)’

3. The front: ‘Gaodama Bodhisattva (Gaodama Tian Pusa, 高達嘛天菩薩)’
The back: ‘Central to the study of the yoga tantra (yujia genben, 瑜伽根本)’

4. The front: ‘Heguang Bodhisattva (Heguang Tian Pusa, 欱光天菩薩)’
The back: ‘Central to the study of virtue (dexing genben, 德行根本)’

Provenance: From a private collection in Asia, thence by descent in the family. Mandala Fine Arts, Hong Kong, 2012. A private collection in the United States, acquired from the above and thence by descent. A copy of the original invoice from Mandala Fine Arts, dated 15 March 2012, signed, and confirming the dating above, accompanies the lot. The Asian private collection was assembled from international auctions and art dealers, including Eskenazi, Sano Art Museum, Mengdiexuan, Sze Yuan Tang, Muwen Tang, and Robert H. Ellsworth. Mandala Fine Arts Ltd. is a Hong Kong based gallery for Buddhist art that was established in 1997.
Condition: Very good condition with some old wear, expected minuscule casting irregularities, nicks, light surface scratches, flaking and minute touchups to the gilding.

Weight: 7.2 kg (total)
Dimensions: Height 17.5 cm (each)

Mudras and attributes:

1. Vajrabhasa holds a conch in his left hand while the right is held in vitarka mudra (and possibly once supported a vajra).

2. Mahugeda with his left hand lowered supporting a kalasha and his right raised toward the shoulder.

3. Gaodama holds a similar vessel aloft in his left hand while the right is raised in karana mudra.

4. Heguang also holds a vase in his left while the right hand is lowered in apaan mudra.

These well-cast figures belong to a set that was in the Baoxianglo (Pao-hsiang Lou), a former palace and temple of the Qianlong Emperor's mother, located within the Forbidden City. Numerous figures from this set, most of which are also inscribed with Qianlong reign marks as well as the names of divinities and other high personages, are illustrated by Walter Eugene Clark, Two Lamaistic Pantheons, 1937, from Materials collected by Alexander von Staël-Holstein in 1928, see a closely related figure of Vajrabhasa illustrated ibid., suggesting the present Vajrabhasa once held a vajra in his right hand. A closely related group of four figures from the set are illustrated in The Many Faces of Buddha, Oglethorpe University Art Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia, 1986, p. 48-9, no. 18.

According to the Qing dynasty archives, Qianlong personally examined the style of each Buddha statue and revised it until he was satisfied before approving the casting. In the tenth month of the 22^nd year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1757), because of the rough workmanship and uneven gilding due to time constraints, Emperor Qianlong lost his temper after he saw the statues. Not only were the statues sent back for rework, but the officials supervising the work were also made to pay for the expenses themselves.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2007, lot 215
Price: USD 114,000 or approx. EUR 168,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt and painted bronze figure of a seated Bodhisattva, Tibeto-Chinese, Qianlong seven-character mark cast in a line and of the period (1736-1795)
Expert remark: Compare the closely related treatment of the gown, jewelry, and face, the use of gilt and pigments, and the inscriptions. Note the size (20.2 cm) and that the lot comprises only one figure.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 17 March 2021, lot 170
Price: USD 126,000 or approx. EUR 144,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare partially cold-gilt bronze figure of multi-armed Manjushri, Qianlong mark and period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related treatment of the gown, jewelry, and face, the use of gilt and pigments, the inscriptions as well as the size (16.7 cm). Note that the lot comprises only one figure.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 15 September 2011, lot 1376
Price: USD 92,500 or approx. EUR 123,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A parcel-gilt bronze figure of Buddha, Qianlong seven-character cast mark in a line and of the period (1736-1795)
Expert remark: Compare the closely related treatment of the gown, jewelry, and face, the use of gilt, and the inscriptions. Note the size (23.5 cm). Note that the lot comprises only one figure.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 14 May 2019, lot 267
Price: GBP 37,500 or approx. EUR 61,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A parcel-gilt-bronze figure of Vishnu seated on Garuda, Qianlong seven-character mark in a horizontal line and of the period (1736-1795)
Expert remark: Compare the closely related treatment of the gown, and face, the use of gilt, the inscriptions as well as the size (17.1 cm). Note that the lot comprises only one figure.