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These two thangkas were part of a series of
probably seven paintings dedicated jointly
to the Twenty-one Taras and the Thirty-five
Buddhas of Confession.
The tradition of the Twenty-one Taras derives
from the tantra known as the ‘Twenty-one
Praises of Tara’ spoken by the Buddha
Samantabhadra. In this tradition, there
are twenty-one Tara emanations - one for
each verse of praise. Each form of Tara has
a specific colour and performs a certain
activity. From this tradition grew at least
three distinct lineages for the different sets
of Twenty-one Taras: Pandita Suryagupta,
Lord Atisha and the Sadhanasamucchaya.
These three lineages do not share the same
iconographic forms. In the Atisha system, for
example, all the Taras appear in the same
basic appearance and only differ in the colour
of their bodies. They each have a single
face and two arms, in a sitting posture. In
the Suryagupta Tradition, which is the most
iconographically complex and probably the
oldest, the Taras are of different colours as
well as forms. The present pair belong to the
Suryagupta Tradition.
36 Referenced 參考: Himalayan Art Resources In one thangka, the central figure of
A PAIR OF THANGKAS OF TARA item nos.2177 and 2178 Tara holding a bow and arrow is called
Tibet, 19th century Kanakavarna Tara (in Tibetan known as
Distemper on cloth, both with cloth mounts, Provenance 來源: The Jongen-Schleiper Gser mdog can gyi sgrol ma), or the Golden
framed and glazed. Collection of Fine Thangkas Tara. On the bottom right with six arms is
One thangka with Three Taras and Five Kalyanada Tara (Dge legs ster ma sgrol ma)
Buddhas of Confession 74.5 x 50 cm Published and Illustrated: A.Neven, Etudes or the great peaceful one or giver of good.
(29 3/8 x 19 3/4 in); D’Art Lamaique et de L’Himalaya, Brussels, Opposite, on the bottom left, is an angry
With mount: 127 x 70 cm (50 x 27 5/8 in). 1978, pp.45, 47, no.24 (one of the pair) incarnation of Tara known as Bhrikuti Tara or
The other thangka with two Taras and Five the ‘shaking frowning Tara’. The other thangka
Buddhas: 74.5 x 49.5 cm (29 3/8 x 19 1/2 in); 出版及著錄： A.Neven著，《Etudes D’Art depicts in the centre the ‘Radiant White Moon
With mount: 127 x 69.8 cm (50 x 27 1/2 in). (2). Lamaique et de L’Himalaya》，布魯塞 Tara’ (dkar mo zla mdangs kyi sgrol ma) with
爾，1978年，頁45及47，編號24（其一） three faces.
西藏十九世紀 度母像 一對
88 | BONHAMS
