Lot 505
Antique Tibetan Thangka. Tibetan Art can is best understood in the context of its sacred Buddhist origins. The ancient King Srong Tsen Gampo unified the then non-Buddhist country we now know as Tibet in the 7th century. Establishing one of the largest empires in the history of mankind, his domain stretched from Afghanistan to Xian, the capital of China. King Srong demanded wives from the courts of his closet neighbors, the Buddhist kingdoms of China and Nepal. It is the works of art that these first two wives brought with them to Tibet as part of their tribute that form the sacred seeds of Tibetan art.
The Chinese princess Wen Ju brought a pair of ancient life-size sandalwood Indian statues of the Buddha said to have been made as portraits during the lifetime of Shakyamuni Buddha. The most highly venerated and important of these is the Jo rinpoche. This statue became a sacred object of pilgrimage, and hundreds of thousands of Tibetans walked thousands of miles over centuries to venerate this icon.
When King Tri Srong De Tsen attempted to lay the foundation for the first monumental temple and monastery in Tibet, local authorities were disturbed by these religious activities. Padmasambhava -- "the Lotus-born," popularly known as Guru Rinpoche, the Precious Master -- is revered throughout the Himalayan ranges as a Second Buddha. Invited from India in the eighth century to subjugate the forces inhibiting the spread of Shakumuni's teachings, he managed to transform hitherto hostile powers into guardians and protectors of Buddhism and, in the process, left an indelible mark on the entire Himalayan region.
Thangkas are painstakingly hand painted religious "scroll-paintings," traditionally executed on fabric, depicting Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and other deities. They adhere to strict iconographic traditions, are formal, vividly colored and richly patterned, and possess a striking intricacy of detail. Despite their decorativeness, Thangkas are works of art used in Buddhist culture as an aid to meditation and contemplation. "Wheel of Life", Handpainted on fabric, Framed to an overall 18 x 25", Circa 1700-1800s, Tibet. This intricate painting features a very elaborate scene of animals and human figures in a large wheel being turned by a monstrous red-eyed deity, rendered in vibrant reds, golds, browns, numerous shades of blue. The edges are worn but the overall quality of the piece is very good. Very Good.
Estimated Value $300 - 400.
This painting was acquired by the consignor in Thailand. It had been smuggled out of Tibet in the early 1970s by Tibetans escaping Chinese persecution.
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| Realized $546 |
