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Lot 32
A SILK APPLIQUÉ AND EMBROIDERED THANGKA OF USHNISHAVIJAYA BHUTAN, 19TH CENTURY
Withdrawn
Amended
3 October 2017, 18:00 HKT
Hong Kong, Six Pacific PlaceHK$400,000 - HK$600,000
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A SILK APPLIQUÉ AND EMBROIDERED THANGKA OF USHNISHAVIJAYA
BHUTAN, 19TH CENTURY
With original silk damask mounts and Chinese kosu dragon panel.
Himalayan Art Resources item no.12416
Image: 74 x 56 cm (29 1/3 x 22 in.);
With silks: 160 x 95 cm (63 x 37 3/8 in.)
With original silk damask mounts and Chinese kosu dragon panel.
Himalayan Art Resources item no.12416
Image: 74 x 56 cm (29 1/3 x 22 in.);
With silks: 160 x 95 cm (63 x 37 3/8 in.)
Footnotes
At the center, the textile celebrates Ushnishavijaya as a life-granting force bringing spirited lotuses into bloom. Formerly of the Jucker Collection, revered for assembling some of the richest examples of Bhutanese painting, this textile's carefully chosen appliqué damasks achieve an enlivening shimmer under raking light. Its plush silk mounts continue to echo this alluring effect.
The treatment of the primary figure and the more restrained composition compares favorably with other examples of Ushnishavijaya and Tseringma in Bartholomew & Johnston, The Dragon's Gift, Honolulu, 2008, pp.232 & 239, nos.39 & 42. Compare also the closely related example of Shadakshari in the Newark Museum, published in Reynolds, From the Sacred Realm, New York, 1999, p.223, pl.127. Unlike these three examples, here, lamas dominate the surrounding field, who further attribute the work from the Land of the Thunder Dragon, as Bhutan's Drugpa Kagyu hierarchs are the only to wear this tall fan-shaped hat with a high peak that can be seen above its rim.
The identity of each can be deduced fairly reliably. The first, in the top left corner, is Bhutan's founder, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594-1651). The second is almost certainly the Ninth Je Khenpo, Shakya Rinchen (1710-59), for his bushy beard is quite particular among the nation's leaders. Moreover, Ushnishavijaya was one of Shakya Rinchen's main practices, and murals and sculptures of her abound in sites related to him. The third figure, in the bottom center, is most likely the Twenty-Fifth Je Khenpo, Sherab Gyaltsen (1772-1848), who dons quite common facial hair, but who is also most often depicted with a book in his lap as well. If so, his presence would inform a 19th-century date for the piece, given that he was installed as Bhutan's religious leader (Je Khenpo) between 1836-9. Biographies of each these pivotal leaders are available at treasuryoflives.org.
Bonhams would like to thank Dr. Ariana Maki for her assistance in preparation of this lot.
Provenance
The Jucker Collection, Switzerland
Sotheby's, New York, 28 March 2006, lot 122
Private Collection, acquired from the above
尊勝佛母堆繡唐卡
不丹，十九世紀
原始錦緞裱工配緙絲龍紋唐門。
喜馬拉雅藝術資源網12416號
畫心：74 x 56釐米（29 1/3 x 22英吋）；
裝裱：160 x 95釐米（63 x 37 3/8英吋）
400,000-600,000 港元
尊勝佛母端坐於唐卡正中，以其延壽賜福之法力召喚荷花綻放。作品原屬Jucker舊藏，該收藏特以珍品不丹畫作聞名。此幅堆繡唐卡選料講究，精心挑選之上乘錦緞在側光下熠熠生輝。裱料亦精細絲滑， 與畫心之光澤遙相呼應。
The Dragon's Gift一書中所載之尊勝佛母唐卡及祥寿佛母唐卡可與本拍品相比照，三者均構圖簡潔，亦在對主尊的描繪方法上有相似之處，而此拍品則更勝一籌（參見Bartholomew 與 Johnston，The Dragon's Gift，檀香山，2008年，頁 232與239，39與42號）。其他緊密相關的作品包括藏於紐瓦克博物館的四臂觀音唐卡，刊載於Reynolds，From the Sacred Realm，紐約，1999年，頁223，版圖127。然而，與上述三幅對照作品不同的是，此幅尊勝佛母的四周以刻畫喇嘛為主。觀察幾位上師之裝束，其所配戴之扇形尖頂高帽為不丹竹巴噶舉派高僧所特有，由此可斷定該唐卡源於雷龍之國不丹。
推測此幾位上師的身份並非難事。首先，構圖左上方刻畫的是不丹国的缔造者夏仲阿旺朗杰（1594-1651）。而右上方應為九世傑堪布釋迦仁钦（1710-59），其茂密的落腮鬍鬚在不丹領袖中獨樹一幟。此外，釋迦仁钦主修尊勝佛母法門，其相關遺址處所見之壁畫與造像多以尊勝佛母為題材。構圖下方的第三位上師很可能為二十五世傑堪布塞拉布加爾臣（1772-1848），其常以手持經書的形象出現在藝術作品之中。塞拉布加爾臣於1836-9年間被封為不丹宗教領袖（傑堪布），因此若其身份確鑿，則此唐卡可被斷代為十九世紀之作。慾了解更多上師生平，請參見treasuryoflives.org。
謹在此特別鳴謝Ariana Maki博士協助撰寫此文。
來源
Jucker珍藏，瑞士
蘇富比，紐約，2006年3月28日，拍品122號
私人收藏，於上述拍賣竟得
Saleroom notices
Please note this lot has been withdrawn.