Page 115 - Bonhams Asian & Chinese Art November 2018

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284 VARIOUS OWNERS
A THANGKA OF GREEN TARA AND A THANGKA OF A SEMI-
WRATHFUL DEITY 285
Eastern Tibet, 19th century A MANDALA OF VAJRADHARA
Distemper on cloth; the first, of green Tara, with the deity seated in Tibet, 19th century
lalitasana on a lotus throne issuing from a pond, each hand holding a The central figure, blue in colour, in yab yum with his consort,
lotus stem, 37cm (14 1/2in) x 26cm (10 1/4in); the second, depicting surrounded by five emanations, all set within a square, gated palace,
a semi-wrathful deity, red in appearance, with three eyes, also surrounded by circular belts of lotus lappets, vajras and flames,
seated in lalitasana on a lotus throne issuing from a pond, holding a all set against an intense blue sky with the Sun and Moon, with
staff in one hand and a skull cup in the other, all under the Sun and Padmasambhava and two monks above, and two female deities below.
the Moon in the sky and Atisha and Padmasambhava seated on 34.5cm (13 5/8in) x 26cm (10 1/8in)
floating clouds at respectively the top right and top left corner edges,
inscribed in red to the reverse, together with a hand-written ‘guide’ to
the iconography, 29cm (11 3/8in) x 21cm (8 1/4in). £800 - 1,200
(2). HK$8,200 - 12,000
CNY7,200 - 11,000
£800 - 1,200
HK$8,200 - 12,000 Provenance
CNY7,200 - 11,000 Navin Kumar, Paris
Fournier Collection, Paris
A private European collection, acquired from the above in the 1980’s
Provenance
The Oliver Robert Coales Collection, acquired by Mr Coales when Jeff Watt explains that, from the 11th century onwards, the New
working and travelling in Eastern Tibet in 1916-17, and thence by Schools of Buddhism view Buddha Vajradhara as the secret, or inner
descent. form, of Buddha Shakyamuni and the combined essence of all the
Buddhas of the Ten Directions and Three Periods gathered as one.
The second thangka comes with a paper note in Tibetan and English,
probably written by local monks for the benefit of Mr. Coales, with In Anuttarayoga Tantra it is Vajradhara who emanates forth the
cartouches enclosing Tibetan writing identifying the iconography. forms of the Five Symbolic Buddhas and Vajrasattva followed
(Illustrated online) by the meditational deities such as Guhyasamaja, Shri Hevajra
and Chakrasamvara. According to the Nyingma Tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism Vajradhara is an activity emanation of Buddha
Samantabhadra.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. ASIAN ART - PART I | 113