TWO POLYCHROMED CLAY FIGURES OF PADMASAMBAVA AND TSANGNYON HERUKA BHUTAN, 18TH/19TH CENTURY Himalayan Art Resources item no. 207038 Left: 13.5 cm (5 1/4 in.) high Right: 13 cm (5 1/8 in.) high Footnotes: 不丹 十八/十九世紀 彩繪蓮花生大士與藏紐赫魯嘎像 Provenance The Mahasiddha, since 1990s The Guru Rinpoche, since 2010s John and Karina Stewart Collection Padmasambhava, known as the 'Lotus-Born', is credited with introducing tantric Buddhism to Bhutan during the eighth century. Revered as the Second Buddha by the Nyingma school, he is associated with the transmission of Buddhist teachings and the concealment of spiritual treasures (terma). Tsangnyon Heruka (1452-1507), an influential master of the Kagyu tradition, is celebrated for his biography of Milarepa, a foundational work of Tibetan religious literature. Padmasambhava is depicted wearing his distinctive lotus hat and layered robes, with an ornamental pendant at his chest and his right hand extended. Tsangnyon Heruka is represented with his hair arranged in a high chignon, large circular earrings, and a ritual staff, reflecting the iconographic traditions of the Indian mahasiddhas. Both figures are distinguished by their expressive facial features, deeply modeled garments, and lotus bases with three-lobed petals characteristic of Bhutanese sculpture. Comparable lotus bases appear on a figure of Padmasambhava illustrated in Bartholomew and Johnston (eds.), The Dragon's Gift, Chicago, 2008, pp. 274-75, no. 57, and another sold at Christie's, New York, 21 September 2021, lot 411. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing