Page 282 - Bonhams Chinese Art NYC Nov 9 2017

Major Lancelot Baldwin

219
TWO THANGKAS OF AMITAYUS AND CHINGKARWA
Tibet, 19th century
Distemper on cloth, one depicting the red Amitayus in the centre
within the Pure Land of Sukhavati Heaven, seated in dhyanasana
on a lotus throne, both hands holding an alms bowl, surrounded by
the Bodhisattvas, Tibetan teachers and monks; the other thangka
depicting the worldly protector Chingkarwa on horseback, clad in
armour and carrying a spear as well as bow and arrows, his raised
right hand holds a stick, surrounded by guardians and Tibetan
teachers, both paintings glazed and framed.
61cm (24in) long x 46.5cm (18 1/2in) wide. (2).

£2,500 - 3,500
CNY22,000 - 31,000
西藏 十九世紀 彩繪無量壽佛唐卡及護法唐卡

Provenance: Major Lancelot Hugh Baldwin (1869-1914), brought
back between 1903-1904 during the Younghusband expedition to
Tibet, and thence by descent.

來源： Lancelot Hugh Baldwin(1869-1914)少校收藏，於1903至1904
年參加榮赫鵬西藏遠征期間所得，並由後人保存迄今

Major Lancelot Hugh Baldwin, 8th Gurkha Rifles (1869-1914), was
born in London in 1869 and was educated at Sandhurst. He was
commissioned into the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1890. In
1894 he was transferred to the Indian Staff Corps as a Wing Officer
in the 44th Gurkha Rifles. He was appointed Captain on 3 May 1901
while serving as Assistant Commandant, Lushai Hills Military Police.
He Joined 8th Gurkha Rifles in January 1903, under the command
of Brigadier-General MacDonald, with whom he took part in the
Younghusband expedition to Tibet, 1903-1904, during which he was
wounded. He was present at the Zamdang Gorge, the action at Niani
on 26 June 1904; operations at and around Gyantse, during which he
was wounded on 6 July, and the advance to Lhasa later that month.
He was awarded the Tibet Medal with clasp in October 1905. In 1908,
he was promoted to Major. He died at the age of 45 in 1914, and was
buried at Fort William Military Cemetery, Calcutta.

Amitabha depicted in the Sukhavati heaven is a common image in
Himalayan and Tibetan art, representing Mahayana Buddhism. Red in
colour, the Buddha of Immeasurable Light is surrounded by Mahakala,
protector of the Buddhist faith, and the Eight Bodhisattvas. Compare
with a similar thangka depicting Amitabha in the Sukhavati realm, 19th
century, in the Rubin Museum, New York, illustrated in Himalayan Art
Resources, item no.701.

Genyen Chingkarwa is a Tibetan worldly protector deity. He is white in
colour with one face and two hands riding atop a white horse, holding
a long spear and a bowl of jewels held at the waist. Above him are
Padmasambhava, between Dorje Legpa, guardian of the Revealed
Treasure Tradition, and Tsanga Karpo, worldly protector countering
negativity, joined by two wrathful protectors on the lower register.

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