Page 62 - Christies Indian and Himalayan Art Sept 2015

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TWO PAINTINGS OF THE SIXTEEN ARHATS

TIBETO-CHINESE, 19TH CENTURY

Together depicting the complete iconography of the Sixteen Great In the frst painting:
(frst row): Vanavasin, Kanakabharadvaja and Angaja
Arhats, the attendant Dharmatala, the patron Hvashang, and the four (second row): Kalika, Vajriputra and Bhadra
(third row): Hvashang, Ajita and Kanakavatsa
Direction Guardians, the verso inscribed with “Om Ah Hum” At bottom are Virudhaka (blue) and Dhritarashtra (white), wearing armor,
fne multicolored silks, gold and jewels, and surrounded by blue-black smoke.
Opaque pigments and gold on textile
In the second painting:
33Ω x 21º in. (85.1 x 54 cm.), the larger (2) (frst row): Bakula, Rahula and Cudapathaka
(second row): Nagasena, Pantaka, Pindola Bharadvaja
$8,000-12,000 (third row): Gopaka, Abheda, Dharmatala
At bottom are Virupaksha (red) and Vaishravana (white), also wearing armor,
PROVENANCE: fne multicolored silks, gold and jewels, and surrounded by blue-black smoke.

The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation, acquired in New York,
29 November 1996
Rubin Museum of Art, gifted from the above in 2004

PUBLISHED:

Himalayan Art Resource (himalayanart.org), item nos. 495 and 496

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