A FINE THANGKA OF AMITABHA IN HIS SUKHAVATI PURE LAND

拍品描述

A FINE THANGKA OF AMITABHA IN HIS SUKHAVATI PURE LAND Tibet, 19th to early 20th century. Distemper and gold on cloth. Finely painted, depicting Buddha Amitabha seated in dhyanasana upon a multi-colored lotus throne supported by peacocks, his hands resting in his lap in dhyanamudra and supporting an alms bowl filled with the nectar of immortality. He is clad in richly patterned monastic robes and backed by a green halo and elaborate radiating aureole, surrounded by luxuriant flowering peonies. Amitabha is flanked by the white Avalokiteshvara to his right and the blue Vajrapani to his left, with Maitreya, Manjushri, Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Samantabhadra, and Sarvanivaranavishkambhin seated below. Together, they form the Eight Great Bodhisattvas traditionally assembled around Amitabha in representations of Sukhavati. The richly populated Pure Land is filled with monks, devotees, celestial attendants, temple pavilions, lotus blossoms, clouds, and verdant mountains, all enclosed within a great rainbow aureole. The four directional Buddhas appear within pavilions around Amitabha: white Vairochana and green Amoghasiddhi above, and yellow Ratnasambhava and blue Akshobhya below, together with Amitabha forming the Five Buddha Families. At the lower center is Shakyamuni Buddha surrounded by monks and devotees, while the lower corners are occupied by the lion-faced protectors Shingkyong Wangpo and his consort Sengdongma, each riding a horse amid flames. Dimensions: Size 68.5 x 47 cm Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, presides over Sukhavati, the Western Pure Land, a celestial realm in which devotees aspire to be reborn in order to progress unhindered toward enlightenment. He is traditionally surrounded by the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, foremost among them Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani, while the numerous Buddhas, monks, celestial beings, and devotees populate the paradisiacal landscape. The elaborate iconographic program is completed by the Five Buddha Families and, strikingly, the lion-faced Shingkyong Yab-yum, protectors closely associated with Sukhavati. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s Paris, 22 June 2016, lot 80 Price: EUR 6,250 or approx. EUR 8,300 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, size, composition, manner of painting, and treatment of Amitabha with a richly ornamented aureole, surrounded by the Eight Great Bodhisattvas and further deities. Note the similar size (62 x 42.5 cm) and earlier date.

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