Page 156 - 2019 September 11th Christie's New York Chiense Art Himalayan bronzes and art

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE FRENCH COLLECTION
382
TIBETAN PAINTED SCROLLS, 3 VOLUMES
GUISEPPE TUCCI, ROME: LA LIBRERIA DELLO
STATO, 1949 (3)

$5,000-7,000

PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE MANHATTAN COLLECTOR
383
A THANGKA OF FIVE ARHATS
TIBET, 18TH CENTURY
Image 25√ x 16æ (65.7 x 42.5 cm.)
mounted 53¿ x 29º (134.9 x 74.3 cm.)

$10,000-15,000

This painting is from a larger three-painting
set depicting the sixteen arhats, attendant
Dharmatala, and the Chinese monk Hvashang.
The present painting depicts the Indian adepts
(in clockwise order), Abheda, Angaja, Vanavasin,
Vajriputra, Kalika, and Ajita, each labeled
by Tibetan inscriptions. The composition is
executed in a style often referred to New Menri,
introduced through the Panchen Lama’s court in
the seventeenth century. Therein, people took on
more lifelike forms, and compositional asymmetry
was introduced with more complex landscapes
reminiscent of Chinese landscape paintings.
This fnely-executed example of the New Menri
style includes a surprising number of vignette-
like details throughout, including an image of
the historical Buddha performing the miracle of
defeating Mara’s demons, just prior to his moment
of enlightenment.
Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 24529.
382