An exceptional large gilt-copper mask of Bhairava with inset jewellery and painted details Nepal, 16th century, dated Nepal Samvat 719, equivalent to 1598 CE | 尼泊爾 鎏金銅嵌寶加彩陪臚面具 刻文：尼瓦歷719年，相當於西元1598 年

Marcel Nies, Belgium.

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Marcel Nies, 比利時

The statue represents Bhairava, the fierce manifestation of the Hindu god Shiva. Masks such as this are used during the annual festival of Indrayātrā dedicated to the god Indra. Consecrated rice or millet beer is consumed with enthusiasm by devotees via a spout appearing through the mouth of the deity. The custom of imbibing as part of the Indra festival is peculiar to Nepal, and the mask-like sculptures are unique to the country. They are made also in wood and terracotta. Compare a similar gilt copper repoussé example sold in our New York rooms, March 24, 2004, lot 91: a fine example in the Zimmerman Collection, see Pal, Art of the Himalayas, New York, 1991, p. 58, cat. 22: and another in the Victoria and Albert Museum, see John Lowry, Tibetan Art, London, 1973, pp. 38-9, cat. 14. A monumental, free-standing gilt copper Bhairava mask, commissioned in 1795 CE by King Shri Rana Bahadur Shah, is seen at Hanuman Dhoka in Darbar Square, Kathmandu, see Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p. 341.

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陪臚，印度教神明濕婆之忿怒身，如本品之面具用於在每年因陀羅節，供信眾膜拜祈願。信眾通常將以米或小米釀製之聖酒預先注入酒槽，酒液經過細管，從神像口中流出，信眾爭相飲用，如此習俗，獨見於尼泊爾因陀羅節，陪臚面具以木或陶製，亦為尼泊爾獨有。紐約蘇富比曾售一例，2004 年 3 月 24 日，編號 91：另一例可見於Zimmerman 收藏，參考Pal，《Art of the Himalayas》，紐約，1991年，頁58，編號22：維多利亞與艾爾伯特博物館亦收藏一例，載於John Lowry，《Tibetan Art》，倫敦，1973 年，頁38-9，編號14。再比一例，1795 年由尼泊爾國王施瑞·拉納·巴哈杜爾·沙阿御令特製，現存於尼泊爾加德滿都王宮廣場哈努曼多卡宫，載於Ulrich von Schroeder，《Indo-Tibetan Bronzes》，香港，1981年， 頁341。