Page 168 - Bonhams May 16, 2019 London Asian Art

A Distinguished Italian
Private Collection

Lots 136 - 142, 181, 270

The important Italian collector lived and worked in Shanghai
between 1932 and 1936, as representative of his Italian company
and in 1937, following the Sino-Japanese war, was transferred to
Dalian in Southern Manchuria. After a brief period spent in Italy in
1938, he returned to Shanghai where he lived between 1939 and
1940. He then moved to Beijing where he lived between 1941 and
1946 and formed the vast majority of his collection of Chinese Art.

The Property of a Gentleman 紳士藏品
181
AN IMPERIAL THANGKA OF AMITAYUS The deity is depicted in his Sambogakaya appearance, red in colour
Dated by inscription to the 8th year of Jiaqing, corresponding to 1803 and seated in vajraparyankasana on a lotus throne standing on a
and of the period tiered rectangular base before a table laid with offerings, wearing a
Distemper on silk, with calligraphic inscription In Chinese, Manchu, shawl exposing the bare chest and a five-pointed crown surrounding
Mongolian and Tibetan underneath, framed and glazed. the high chignon, holding the golden-long life vase with both hands
126cm (49 1/2in) long x 73cm (28 3/4in) wide. and surrounded by a retinue of emanations set within a lush green
landscape, the upper register with four offering goddesses standing
£20,000 - 30,000 on vaporous clouds flanking a fluttering chhatri, the lower part with the
CNY180,000 - 260,000 five enjoyments issuing from a blossoming lotus besides the White and
Green Tara, the inscription in Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan
languages dated 1803 reading:
清嘉慶八年（1803年） 御製無量壽佛唐卡
Provenance: a distinguished Italian private collection formed circa On the first day of the fourth month of the eighth year of [the] Jiaqing
1930s-1940s, and thence by descent [period], a lama-artist from Zhongzheng Hall painted an image of the
blessed Tsepame by official decree. In Manchu he is called Mohun
來源：意大利顯貴私人收藏，成形於約二十世紀三十至四十年代， Akhu Drala Phunga Phu Chihi; in Mongolian he is called Dragla Shi
並由後人保存迄今 Ughe Nasu Thupur Han, [and] in Chinese he is called Duwu Liang
She’u Pho.

Zhongzheng Hall was the centre of a Buddhist Painting Academy
which produced sculptures and paintings for the Imperial Family.
See R.W.Dunnell, et al, New Qing Imperial History: The Making of
Inner Asian Empire at Qing Chengde, Oxford, 2004, p.129.

Compare with a thangka of comparable size, depicting Amitayus,
Jiaqing period, bearing the same inscription, which was sold at
Sotheby’s New York, 16 September 2015, lot 408.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
166 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.