A THANGKA OF THE ARHATS KALIKA AND VANAVASIN, CENTRAL TIBET, 16TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A THANGKA OF THE ARHATS KALIKA AND VANAVASIN, CENTRAL TIBET, 16TH CENTURY Inscriptions: The vignettes each inscribed in gold within red cartouches to describe the particular nature of the scene, reinforcing the didactic function of the painting. Gold and distemper on cloth. Seated centrally at the left, Kalika, the 4th arhat, has a shaved head and growth of facial hair. In the two hands he holds large gold earrings—a display of magical emanation. Wearing red robes adorned with gold floral patterns and a blue inner garment, he rests in a relaxed posture on a cushion seat with the head surrounded by a bright red areola. Opposite is Vanavasin, the 3rd arhat, in similar appearance, with the right hand extended forward in a pointing gesture above the knee, the left holds a fly whisk upraised - gold handled, mounted with a white tuft of yak tail. Attired in various robes, he sits in a relaxed posture with the right foot exposed. Above and below, scenes from the life story of the two arhats are played out in lavish palaces, mountain retreats and open landscapes. The episodes surrounding the central figures show Kalika's ascetic practices in charnel grounds, his transformation into a wandering sage, and the transmission of blessings through his miraculous earrings; and Vanavasin's extended meditation in the cave of Seven Leaves, his ordination as a monk, and his encounters with celestial beings. Dimensions: Image size 76 x 63 cm, Size incl. frame 99.5 x 84 cm Framed behind glass. (2) This thangka pairs Kalika and Vanavasin, two of the Sixteen Elders venerated within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The Sixteen Great Arhats are generally painted as a set. Typically, the full group would include the Buddha Shakyamuni, the 16 arhats, the attendant Dharmatala, the patron Hva-shang and the Four Guardians of the Directions: Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dritarashtra and Virudhaka. Literature comparison: Compare three paintings from the same set, all dated to the 16th century: one of Bhadra and Vajriputra in the Rubin Museum of Art, New York, accession number P1995.30.1, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 214; another of Kanaka Bharadvaja and Kanakavatsa also in the Rubin Museum of Art, accession number F1997.45.3, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 579, and by Pratapaditya Pal, Tibetan Paintings, 1984, pl. 62, where it is attributed to Eastern Tibet and dated ca. 1600; and a third in the Yale University Art Gallery, accession number 1988.76.11, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 1988.76.11. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 21 March 2012, lot 353 Price: USD 92,500 or approx. EUR 118,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related subject, iconography, and manner of painting. Note the smaller size (67.3 x 43.2 cm).

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