A Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Shadakshari Avalokiteshvara. 15th/16th century
A Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Shadakshari Avalokiteshvara, seated in dhyanasana on a lotus base, the primary hands folded in front of the chest, the right secondary hand holding a mala, the lotus in the other hand missing, clad in a diaphanous dhoti and adorned with jewellery and a tiara inlaid with hardstones, the blue painted hair pulled into a high chignon and topped with a small Amitabha figure. Face cold gilt and polychrome. Base sealed. 15th/16th century.
Height 27 cm
Private collection Johan (1925-2003) and Ursula Strebel
Johann Strebel was born in Hamburg in February 1925, the son of Dr. Otto Strebel, director of the Hemmoor cement factory. In 1951 the qualified cement retailer married Ursula Oschewski (b. 1.9.1925), daughter of the goldsmith Kurt Olschewski who ran a jewellery business under the same name in Wiesbaden. In 1954 the jewellery business in Wilhelmstrasse changed its name to Strebel-Olschewski.
By procuring precious stones for the jeweler's shop, Johann and Ulla Strebel developed a fascination for Asian cultures and acquired valuable works of art on their many travels throughout Asia between 1955 and 1980, a time when travel in these countries was particularly arduous and uncomfortable.
Asian works of art were sold alongside the jewellery in the shop, but the couple also built up a private collection, with a wide cultural interest ranging from Tibet through South East Asia to Japan.
十五/十六世紀 西藏 銅鎏金四臂觀音坐像
來源：德國威斯巴登Johann與Ursula Strebel