TWO INSCRIBED GILT-BRONZE VOTIVE PLAQUES, MARKS AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG | 清乾隆 鎏金銅迦諾迦伐蹉尊者及八臂積光佛母擦擦一組兩尊 《大清乾隆年製》款、底刻「十六來」及「七者」銘款

Spink & Son Ltd, London.

Spink & Son Ltd，倫敦

These two richly gilt votive plaques are inscribed in Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan, the first depicting the arhat Kanakavatsa and the second the eight-armed goddess Marici. The undersides are further inscribed with qi je and shiliu lai respectively.

Kanakavatsa is the seventh arhat from the set of sixteen arhats who is typically portrayed holding a long jewel lasso in both hands which was a gift of the Nagas.

Marici, the goddess of light, holds the promise of dawn from dark night. As with her Hindu counterpart Surya, her arsenal includes a bow and an arrow that is fired to dispel darkness. Her attributes include a needle and thread, symbolising the union of method and wisdom in Buddhist philosophy, and used to sew up the eyelids and mouths of evil spirits and bind their limbs. The Ashoka branch that she holds before her is the emblem of the goddess Khadiravani Tara and confirms Marici's role, together with Ekajata, as attendant to the "Tara of the Acacia Forest". The vajra symbolises the diamond path to Buddhist enlightenment and the elephant goad alludes to the power of the goddess to steer a practitioner on the path.

Compare a similar set of Buddhist votive plaques depicting different forms of deities, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2008, lot 2627; and another set, also sold in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1546.