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Lot 33
A LARGE THANGKA OF AVALOKITESHVARA SHADAKSHARI BHUTAN, 18TH/19TH CENTURY
Withdrawn
Amended
3 October 2017, 18:00 HKT
Hong Kong, Six Pacific PlaceHK$1,200,000 - HK$1,500,000
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A LARGE THANGKA OF AVALOKITESHVARA SHADAKSHARI
BHUTAN, 18TH/19TH CENTURY
Distemper on cloth; recto with repeated Tibetan Om Mani Padme Hum inscriptions in gold on white and yellow banners in the foreground, the six-syllable mantra of Lokeshvara, om mani padme hum, also inscribed on the sun and moon in the sky; the verso with a large drawn stupa in red and black ink framing numerous mantras and blessings in various scripts.
Himalayan Art Resources item no.2427
Image: 130.8 x 94 cm (51 1/2 x 37 in.);
With silks: 175.3 x 116.8 cm (69 x 46 in.)
Distemper on cloth; recto with repeated Tibetan Om Mani Padme Hum inscriptions in gold on white and yellow banners in the foreground, the six-syllable mantra of Lokeshvara, om mani padme hum, also inscribed on the sun and moon in the sky; the verso with a large drawn stupa in red and black ink framing numerous mantras and blessings in various scripts.
Himalayan Art Resources item no.2427
Image: 130.8 x 94 cm (51 1/2 x 37 in.);
With silks: 175.3 x 116.8 cm (69 x 46 in.)
Footnotes
This large masterpiece of Bhutanese painting, notably imbued with numerous inscribed blessings, depicts the Shadakshari triad within a glorious golden pavilion. Shadakshari Lokeshvara personifies the mystic Buddhist mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, thought to contain the essence of the Bodhisattva. He is flanked by the white goddess Shadakshari, who reflects him in female form on the right, and yellow Manidhara ('Jewel Holder') on the left. A rainbow encircles the godhead of the 'lotus' Buddha clan, Amitabha, in the top center. Below, White Tara appears, flanked by yellow and white banners that repeat Shadakshari's mantra, interspersed among pairings of birds and animals, and colorful wish-fulfilling trees.
On the thangka's reverse is a finely drafted stupa replete with recesses containing Vaishravana, auspicious symbols, and treasure. It frames lengthy inscriptions, comprised of various blessing mantras invoking a cornucopia of Buddhist deities, including Shakyamuni, Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani, Amitayus, Vajrasattva, Shadakshari, Padmasambhava, Akshobhya, Vaishravana, and Jambhala. The final four-line verse is translated, "By this merit may the sins and obscurations of all beings be purified, all desires and wishes be accomplished; may [all beings] quickly attain the stage of the Great Compassionate One." Bonhams is grateful to Himalayan Art Resources for their assistance with the translation of the thangka's inscriptions.
The painting's exemplary characteristics of the Bhutanese style include: the cumulus and stratocumulus clouds of fantastical colors, including the very distinctive orange; the five-lobed wavy pink and white lotus petals under the central deity; the proliferation of highly detailed botanical and zoological elements seen distinguishing certain specie of flora and fauna in the foreground; the polychromatic array of gold brocaded garments; the dark blue seat-back cushions draped with white scarves behind the lamas in the foreground; and of course the Drugpa Kagyu lamas themselves, wearing their unique tall fan-shaped hat with a high peak that can be seen above its rim. Compare these features with related thangkas of Dorje Yudronma in Bartholomew & Johnston, The Dragon's Gift, Honolulu, 2008, pp.234-5, no.40, and recently sold at Bonhams, New York, 13 March 2017, lot 3041.
Provenance
Private Asian Collection
四臂觀音唐卡
不丹，十八/十九世紀
布本設色；畫心中白黃兩色條幅上有金色藏文嗡嘛呢叭咪吽題記反覆出現，此觀音六字真言亦出現於天空中日月之上；唐卡背面以朱色和黑色線條勾勒出佛塔一座，塔中以不同字體題有若干咒語與祈願文。
喜馬拉雅藝術資源網2427號
畫心：130.8 x 94釐米（51 1/2 x 37英吋）;
裝裱：175.3 x 116.8釐米（69 x 46英吋）
1,200,000-1,500,000港元
此幅不丹唐卡畫工精湛，畫幅巨大，描繪四臂觀音三尊端坐於金色寶亭之內，畫面上亦有多處祈願文題記。四臂觀音為唵嘛呢叭彌吽六字真言之化身，被視為菩薩願力與加持的結晶。主尊兩旁坐有兩位侍從，右側為白色的四臂觀音佛母，是四臂觀音所對應的女性形象，而左側是黃色的持寶菩薩。彩虹圍繞著位於上界中心的蓮花部部祖阿彌陀佛 。白度母結跏跌坐於唐卡正下方，兩旁立有穿插於鳥類、動物和許願樹之間的黃白兩色條幅，其上題記重複著四臂觀音心咒。
唐卡背面以朱色和黑色線條精心勾勒出一座佛塔，塔底繪有多聞天王、吉祥符以及珍寶。塔內題滿了向諸神祈福之咒文，包括釋迦牟尼佛、文殊菩薩、觀世音菩薩、金剛手菩薩、無量壽佛、金剛薩埵、四臂觀音 、蓮花生大士、阿閦佛、多聞天王、以及五姓財神。題記的最後四行可譯為"以此績德望眾生的罪惡與蒙昧得到淨化，實現所有的願望，期許[眾生]都得以快速達到大慈悲之境界。" 邦翰斯謹在此特別鳴謝喜馬拉雅藝術資源網協助翻譯唐卡上的題記。
此唐卡帶有典型的不丹風格特徵，其中包括：絢麗的積層彩雲，特別是獨特的橘橙色雲朵；在中央主尊下方的波浪狀白粉色蓮花瓣；精細而豐富的動植物元素，前景中不同種類的動植物清晰可辨，無不維妙維肖；各人物身上的多彩的織金錦緞；前景中喇嘛身後帶白色絲帶的深藍色椅背；當然還有竹巴噶舉喇嘛獨特的扇形高頂法帽。比較兩幅多傑玉卓瑪唐卡中的相關細節，參見Bartholomew與Johnston，The Dragon's Gift，檀香山，2008年，頁234-5，40號，以及2017年3月13日於紐約邦翰斯售出的3040號拍品。
來源
亞洲私人珍藏
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Please note this lot has been withdrawn.