Page 176 - Bonhams NYC Indian and Himalayan Art March 2019

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A PAUBHA DEPICTING AN USHNISHAVIJAYA CHAITYA With Ushnishavaijaya in the center of this painting, Dhanasimha’s family
COMMEMORATING A BHIMARATHA CEREMONY members are wishing him an even longer life. Around its bottom and
NEPAL, DATED 1795 CE lower left and right borders, a lengthy dedicatory inscription provides
Distemper on cloth; with a lengthy inscription dated ‘samvat 915, in the names of the those in attendance who commissioned this painting
the month of Jyeṣṭha, in waxing fortnight, second lunar day [20 May to commemorate Dhanasimha’s Bhimaratha ceremony:
1795 CE]’.
Himalayan Art Resources item no.61959 || Oṁ namo bhagavate āryye uṣṇīṣavijayāyai || śreyostu samvat
36 3/4 x 28 1/4 in. (93.3 x 71.7 cm) 915 jyeṣṭhamāse śuklapakṣe dvitīyā budhavārakunhu ṅatatola
yaṃkulavihārādhivāsita, tulādhara dhanasiṃhaju strī jaśavatī
$80,000 - 120,000 nimhastaṃ, putra mateṅasiṃhaju pautrā bhājusiṃhaju, bekhāsiṃhaju
prapautra jñānavantasiṃha, bahādurasiṃha, harṣanarasiṃha, prabhṛti
尼泊爾 1795年 尊勝母佛塔博巴 guheśvarīmayī, thikayamatī, bhīmakhvālamayī, dhanalakṣmīmayī,
tārāvatīmayī, gunelakṣmīmayī, helamatīmayī | mūlaguru ituṃbāhāyā
With rich and vivid colors, this commemorative painting depicts at śrīcikidhikaju, upādhyā taocheyā sīsī, harṣa(..)ju thutisena pratiṣṭhā
its center a chaitya (stupa) resting on a lotus in a blue lake with the yāseṃ bhīmaratha jātrā, teṃga, asaṃtola, rājakula, etākhā paryyantaṃ
Buddhist long-life deity Ushnishavijaya. There, she is said to reside jātrā yāṅā julo śubhaṃ magalaṃ bhavantu sarvvadākālaṃ || śubhaṃ ||
within the stupa’s womb. Ushnishavijaya is flanked by celestial
attendants adoring her, beneath the eyes of the stupa’s harmika and its “Om, salutation to the honorable goddess Uṣnīṣavijayā. Let it be
tall, golden spire. A multitude of cloud-borne Buddhist deities abound good! This paubha (scroll painting) was made collectively by these
in the verdant and auspicious landscape. The Five Presiding Buddhas family members - the son Mateṅasiṃha, the grand-sons Bhājusiṃha,
appear at the painting’s apex, with white Vairocana at their center, Bekhāsiṃha, the great-grand-sons Jñānavantasiṃha, Bahādurasiṃha,
Ushnishavijaya’s spiritual progenitor. Harṣanarasiṃha, others Guhyeśavarī, Thīkayamatī, Bhīmakhvāla,
Dhantalakṣmī, Tārāvatī, Gunelakṣmī (and) Helamatī - for two persons,
In the painting’s bottom third, Dhanasimha Tuladhar and his wife Dhanasiṃha Tuladhar (and his) wife Jaśavatī, residing at Yaṃkulavihāra
Jashavati, of Naradevi, Kathmandu, perform the Bhimaratha ceremony of Ṅata locality (Naradevi) on Wednesday, NS 915 in the month
with vajracharya priests, celebrating Dhanasimha having reached the of Jyeṣṭha, waxing fortnight, second lunar day (20 May 1795 CE).
special age of 77 years, 7 months, and 7 nights. It is at this advanced Blessed Cikidhika of Itumbahal, the main Vajracharya priest, assistant
age that Dhanasimha has crossed over from human life into divine life, priests Sīsī, Harṣa(..)ju of Toache consecrated it. The Bhīmaratha
according to Newari belief. Thereafter, Dhanasimha and his wife will be procession was done towards Tengal, Asan tole, Rājakula (royal
regarded as deities, freed from temporal responsibilities at the onset of palace) and even Etakhā (Yatakhā). Let it be auspicious in all times.
seniority. (Let it be) good!”

The painting commemorates Dhanasimha’s Bhimaratha ceremony A Lakṣhachaitya paubha dated 1808 CE, previously in the Jucker
in three episodes. Starting in the bottom right corner, Cikidhika of Collection, is from the same locality in Naradevi, Kathmandu, and was
Itumbahal, the vajracharya priest officiating the ceremony, begins possibly produced for the same Tuladhar family; some of the names
with an offering to the fire (agni puja). Then, two assistant vajracharya on its inscription match those of the present one. The paubha shares
priests consecrate Dhanasimha and his wife Jashavati with holy a similar presentation of the central stupa, landscape, and placement
water from a conch shell and panchamrita sprinkled from durva of its deities (Kreijger, Kathmandu Valley Painting, Boston, 1999, p.82,
grass. Finally, in the bottom left corner, observed by family members no.28).
and descendants - many of whom commissioned this painting
- Dhanasimha and his wife begin a chariot procession through Bonhams would like to thank Ian Alsop and Kashinath Tamot for their
Kathmandu’s neighborhoods of Tengal, Asan, Hanumandhoka, and research of this painting and translation of its inscription.
Yatakha, led by a horse symbolically representing their ritual voyage to
the realm of the sun god Surya (Suryaloka). Provenance
Private European Collection, acquired 1970s/80s
Sotheby’s, New York, 21 March 2012, lot 310

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