
Mark Rasmussen
International Director
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US$60,000 - US$80,000
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International Director
西藏 十四/十五世紀 寶生佛唐卡
Seated in meditation with his hands positioned in his identifying gesture of varada mudra, this magnificent Ratnasambhava is surrounded by a field of golden Shakyamuni Buddhas. The painting is elegantly conceived with clear curvilinear lines and vivid colors, creating a potent image of vigor and beauty.
Another notable aspect is the painter's use of the gesso technique, manipulating the viscosity of the paint for the sumptuous jewelry worn by Ratnasambhava, creating a sense of texture on the surface. Meanwhile, every figure in the composition is meticulously executed to express a vibrant dynamism. The iconography is quite rare, depicting Ratnasambhava flanked by ten seated bodhisattvas holding attributes, eight of which may be the Great Bodhisattvas (ashta mahabodhisattva).
On close inspection, iconometric calculations for proportions of the Buddha image can be detected in the painting. For example, in the center of the composition, under-drawings are visible on the figure's sash due to loss of paint from contact with water.
Compare with other significant examples published in Rhie & Thurman, Worlds of Transformation, New York, 1999 p.418, no.163; and Kossak & Casey Singer, Sacred Visions , New York, 1998, p.119, no.28.
Provenance
J.A.N. Fine Art, London, late 1980s/early 1990s
Private European Collection