AN IMPORTANT AND RARE THANGKA OF THE SEVENTH DALAI LAMA KALSANG GYATSO (1708-1757), TIBET, 18TH CENTURY

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AN IMPORTANT AND RARE THANGKA OF THE SEVENTH DALAI LAMA KALSANG GYATSO (1708-1757), TIBET, 18TH CENTURY Distemper and gold on cloth. Finely painted to depict the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso, holding a manuscript in his left hand and in his right a lotus stem supporting the Book of Wisdom and the Sword that vanquishes ignorance: both symbols of the bodhisattva of Wisdom, Manjushri. His throne back, as well as each of his robes and cushions, are covered in dense gold patterns achieved with confident brush strokes. On the left and right of the throne are monarchs and Mongol princes making submission to the spiritual leader of Tibet who had the patronage of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors. Above, Padmapani Avalokiteshvara presides over an assembly of Gelug lineage masters, Indian mahasiddhas, and deities, including Amitabha, Shakyamuni Buddha, Sarasvati, and Red Manjushri. Flanking the Dalai Lama are the multi-armed Eleven-Faced Avalokiteshvara, the Dharma kings Songtsen Gampo and Ralpachen, and the protective deities Palden Lhamo, White Six-Armed Mahakala, and Vaishravana. The lower register is centered by an elaborate altar attended by monks, dignitaries, and devotees, while the wrathful protectors Yama Dharmaraja and Six-Armed Mahakala stand amid blazing aureoles below. Dimensions: Image size 64 x 43 cm, Size incl. mounting 126 x 70 cm Mounting on a silk brocade frame. Soon after his birth, Kalsang Gyatso (1708-1757), whose name means "ocean of good fortune", was declared the rebirth of the Sixth Dalai Lama. When he reached the age of eight, the Kangxi Emperor sent representatives of the Court so that a combined Chinese-Tibetan-Mongol cavalry could escort the lama to Kumbum. It was in Kumbum that Kelzang Gyatso was enthroned and an Imperial proclamation was publicly read, affirming that 'this emanation is the veritable rebirth of the former Dalai Lama.' During the Yongzheng period, the Emperor accepted the Dalai Lama's petition to the Court ordering that monasteries previously damaged be rebuilt with Imperial funds, thus extending the Imperial patronage. The Dalai Lama then spent several years in exile, following political struggles and the increasing Manchu attempts to formalize their rule in Tibet; but returned in 1735 to Lhasa accompanied, under the order of the Yongzheng Emperor, with a royal entourage of five hundred religious, civil and military representatives, including Changkya Rolpai Dorje. Following the ascension of the Qianlong Emperor to the throne, Changkya Rolpai Dorje recommended the political assertion of the Seventh Dalai Lama in Tibet, which proved to be an unforeseen political success due to his personal reputation for learning and spiritual integrity as well as his status. In the field of politics, the Seventh Dalai Lama established a number of institutions, such as the Kashnak, a leadership cabinet that remained at the apex of the secular administration in Tibet until 1959. He also founded a school specializing in calligraphy, literary arts and astrology, the primary subjects required for Tibetan government service, and an archival office that regulated all aspects of Tibetan secular and monastic culture. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related thangka of the Seventh Dalai Lama, dated mid-18th century, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated by D. P. Jackson, The Place of Provenance: Regional Styles in Tibetan Painting, New York, 2012, p. 43, fig. 3.16. Compare a closely related thangka depicting the Seventh Dalai Lama, from the Tamashige Collection and illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 31243. Compare a closely related thangka of the Seventh Dalai Lama, dated 18th century, 64.8 x 43.2 cm, in the Rubin Museum of Art, accession number P1994.7.2, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 212. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 22 March 2018, lot 970 Price: USD 250,000 or approx. EUR 289,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of painting and composition. Note the size (88 x 61 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 2 December 2021, lot 1027 Price: HKD 452,500 or approx. EUR 56,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, composition, and manner of painting. Note the size (72 x 45 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams London, 10 November 2016, lot 114 Price: GBP 27,500 or approx. EUR 50,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of painting and composition. Note the remarkably similar ruyi arch and the size (75 x 49 cm).

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