
Dora Tan
Head of Sale, Specialist
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Sold for US$4,462.50 inc. premium
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Head of Sale, Specialist

International Director
西藏 十七世紀 法器繪畫二幅
Finely painted in vibrant colors, these two ritual images belong to a set of initiation cards (tsakali) that would have likely been used in a ceremony to bestow the initiation of a particular deity. Each card illustrates a ritual sword(s) being placed upright on a lotus throne against an intricately patterned mandorla. Many stylistic elements are closely related to a 17th-century painting of Brahma (HAR 59677), including the throne-back's gold outlined red floral design, its gold lotus border with alternating red, blue, and green petals, and the blue scroll patterns filling in the black corners. See another example of a 17th-century initiation card featuring a ritual implement held by The Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena (P.1999.09.4, HAR 59365).
Provenance:
PBA Galleries, San Francisco, 17 November 2016, lot 19