Page 35 - Bonhams Indian and Himalayan Art September 2013

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A black ground thangka of Red Simhamukha
Tibet, 19th century
Distemper on cloth; The red dakini with the right hand upraised holding
a curved-knife marked with a vajra, the left with a blood filled kapala to primary face of a buffalo and the uppermost of fierce Manjushri, with 34
the heart, and carrying a khatvanga staff in the bend of the left elbow,
adorned with a dry skull crown and a severed-head necklace, she dances
on a prone naked figure, around her are Padmasambhava and his wives in
the upper register with Nyingma lineage hierarchs, four tutelary forms of
Simhamukha and other protector deities, and possibly Vaishravana with
his consort at bottom center.
Image: 23 5/8 x 16 3/8 in. (60 x 41.7 cm)
$7,000 - 10,000
For closely related compositions held in the Erie Art Museum and the
Rubin Museum of Art, see Himalayan Art Resource, HAR#91040 &
HAR#635. The figure at bottom center with his consort riding the white
snow lion and flanked by an attendant dumping precious jewels from
tiger and leopard skin sacks is possibly Vaishravana in his aspect as
guardian of the Terma (Revealed Treasure) text from which this form of
Simhamukha arises.
Provenance:
Private Southwest Collection
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A black ground thangka of Vajrabhairava Ekavira
Tibet, 19th century
The wrathful tutelary form of Manjushri at the center with 9 faces, the
arms he holds the chopper to the skull cup with his primary hands while
the others radiate around him holding various weapons, he is enshrouded
with flames and stands erect with 16 legs on prone figures above a lotus
issuing from a rocky outcrop, various retinue figures mounted on mythical
animals and identified by accompanying inscriptions surround him,
including Lalitavajra, Varuna, Nairrti, Yama, Agni, Indra, and Brahmā.
Image: 26 1/4 x 18 1/4 in. (66.5 x 46.3 cm)
$6,000 - 8,000
When Yama, Lord of Death, was ravaging Tibet, the people invoked
Manjushri for help. He assumed the form of Yamantaka (Conqueror
of Death - also known as Vajrabhairava) and subdued Yama, making
the latter a Regent of Hell. As the deputy of Manjushri, Vajrabhairava
is known as the “discerning protector”. In the Sakya tradition he
is counted among the four main tantric deities along with Hevajra,
Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara.
Depictions of this solitary aspect of Vajrabhairava Ekavira, without a
consort, are less common. Compare to a related example of similar
composition in the Rubin Museum of Art (F1997.17.5, see HAR#295).
The thangka is finely painted with heavy use of gold outlining and is
stylistically akin to another thangka in Rubin Museum Art (F1997.30.4,
see HAR#387) published in Linrothe and Watt, Demonic Divine, New York,
2004, no. 16, pp. 138-9. Compare also the rocky outcrop, lotus petals,
and identifying inscriptions.
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