Page 29 - Indian and Himalayan Art, March 15, 2017 Sotheby's NYC

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PROPERTY OF A PRVIATE FLORIDA COLLECTOR

A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF A SHAMARPA
Tibet, 17th Century

Himalayan Art Resources item no. 13395.
Height: 6 ¾ in. (17.2 cm)

PROVENANCE

Acquired privately in Nepal while the current owner was
stationed in the Peace Corps, 1966.

The Shamar or Red Hat lineage holders can be identi ed by
their double-peaked red caps, from which they derive their
namesake. These caps were originally made as a replica of the
Black Hats traditionally worn by the Karmapa lineage holders.

Red polychrome is still visible on the current work, in the
crevices of the cap, further con rming the identi cation. The
front of the cap is ornamented with a triple-gem motif, with
cloud motif scrolling along either side.

Portraits of the Shamarpas are very often portraits of the
original gures. By comparing the unique physiognomy -- the
high cheekbones, pointed chin and prominent ears -- with
another gilt-bronze Shamarpa identi ed by inscription in the
collection of the Rubin Museum of Art, it is possible that the
current work represents the fth Shamarpa Konchog Yanlag;
see Himalayan Art Resources item no. 65561.

For further reading on the Shamar lineage, see lot 221, a rare
silver gure depicting the sixth Shamarpa, Chökyi Wangchuk.

$ 8,000-12,000

INDIAN, HIMALAYAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN WORKS OF ART 27