A RARE THANGKA OF AVALOKITESHVARA SAHASRABHUJA EKADASAMUKHA, TIBET, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A RARE THANGKA OF AVALOKITESHVARA SAHASRABHUJA EKADASAMUKHA, TIBET, 18TH-19TH CENTURY Distemper and gold paint on cloth. Mounted within a richly woven silk brocade surround, dating from the 18th century or earlier, finely embroidered with a sinuous Imperial dragon amid scrolling clouds between lishui motifs. The All Seeing Lord with One Thousand Hands and Eleven Faces, from the tradition of Bhikshuni Shri, standing erect, dressed in deerskin which covers his left breast, the lower part of his body is covered with fine silks, and wearing jewelry around the neck and arms. One pair of hands offers a namaste greeting, five more hold attributes: a rosary, a lotus flower, the Wheel of the Law, a bow and arrow, and a vase, while the eighth hand is in varadamudra. Stretching in a great arc around the figure are a thousand arms, each hand bearing an eye to symbolize his unhindered capacity to see. The deity stands on a moon-disc and lotus issuing from a pond amidst the lavishly decorated pavilions and gardens of his Pure Land of Potala. The ruyi-like lobed clouds, peony-like lotuses and flowering fruit-laden trees, are all derived from Chinese stylistic conventions. Below the central figure are four smaller forms of Avalokiteshvara, known as Padmapani, the embodiment of Buddhist compassion. Dimensions: Image size 61 x 41.5 cm, Size incl. frame 121 x 68 cm Eleven heads can be interpreted as corresponding to the eleven points of a mandala (its center, four cardinal points, four intermediate points, the nadir, and the zenith). They are arranged in five registers. The lowest register displays peaceful countenances; the next three registers present wrathful forms. Amitabha Buddha is the pinnacle. Each head represents an aspect of the compassionate deity, reflecting Avalokiteshvara's ability to meet benign and ferocious powers with comparable strength. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams New York, 17 September 2014, lot 43 Price: USD 37,500 or approx. EUR 45,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and similar rendition. Note the size (63.5 x 40.6 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams London, 11 May 2017, lot 30 Price: GBP 20,000 or approx. EUR 32,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and similar rendition. Note the size (68 x 47.5 cm).

图片