Kunzang Akor
苯教普贤如来

Khasa Malla, West Tibet/Nepal, 13th Century
46.7 cm (18.4 in)
Asian collection since 1998

 

Kunzang Akor is the meditational form of the Bonpo deity Shenla Okar.  He is depicted here with the characteristic Tibetan syllable a on his chest and with hands in meditation posture.  This monumental statue is the largest known work of Bonpo sculpture created before the 18th century and a masterpiece of the Khasa Malla school of casting.

The Khasa Malla ruled significant portions of West Nepal and Tibet from the 11th century up until the 14th after which the kingdom splintered into smaller principalities eventually to be absorbed by larger states.  These Central-asian peoples patronized both Buddhism and Bon and are well noted for producing some of the finest Himalayan style bronzes.  Significant examples of this style can be found a the Rubin Museum (HAR # 65687) and the Patan Museum (HAR # 59501).  The present example is among the largest and finest known Khasa Malla sculptures.

The Khasa Malla style is noted for exhibiting a strong physique with broad shoulders and a well defined chest, finely cast hands and feet with individuated almost lifelike fingers and toes, as well as a honey brown bronze patina coated with thick even gilding.  The style of crown adorning Kunzang Akor can be found on other bronzes of the nearby Kathmandu valley such as HAR # 68446 produced during the same period.

迦舍末罗风格，藏西/尼泊尔，十三世纪
46.7厘米 （18.4 英寸）
自1998年由亚洲私人收藏

 

Kunzang Akor是苯教普贤白光佛的禅定相。胸前刻有藏文，双手施禅定印。这尊普贤像是现存最大的，十八世纪以前的苯教塑像，也是一件迦舍末罗铸造的精品。

十一世纪起至十四世纪，迦舍末罗王朝统治了尼泊尔西部大部分领域以及西藏地区。十四世纪之后，该王朝逐步瓦解成无数小公国，最终被并入更大的王国。那里的中亚人民虔信佛教和苯教，并因制造了很多精美的喜马拉雅风格铜像而被广泛知晓。这一风格的其他重要作品可参见：

a. 鲁宾艺术博物馆藏品（喜马拉雅艺术资源中心编号：65687）

b. 帕坦博物馆藏品（喜马拉雅艺术资源中心编号：59501）

此处这尊苯教普贤如来像则是现存已知最大且最好的迦舍末罗雕塑之一。

迦舍末罗风格的造像往往体格强壮，宽肩，胸部轮廓分明，手指和脚趾生动逼真，具有蜜棕色铜锈，以及厚而均匀的镀金。此处宝冠的造型还可参见其他迦舍末罗王朝附近的加德满都谷地所制造的佛像，例如制造于同一时期的作品：详见喜马拉雅艺术资源中心编号68446。