A 'FOUR SAKYA MASTERS' TANGKA 15TH/16TH CENTURY

finely painted in muted tones of green, red and orange and gilded, depicting four Sakya Masters, each seated in vajraparyankasana on lotus thrones, with their hands dharmachakra, prajnalinganabhinaya, dhyana and varada mudras, their long robes richly embroidered, flanked by emblem stands supporting flaming pearls entwined by foliate stems, emerging from sacred water vessels, with trilobate torana arches behind, framed by six figures representing their lineage, each identfiied by their inscriptions below, with further Tibetan script along the bottom, all supported by upper and lower blue silk mounts

Formerly in the collection of the Swiss Ambassador to Japan, by repute.

Purchased in London, 4th February 1981.

The tangka painting in exceptionally good order, with the pigments and gilding well retained. Minor markings and cracks to the surface, as mostly visible in the catalogue image. Small areas of losses to enamels, revealing the textile mount beneath.The blue silk mounts with some fraying and tears; the yellow textile cords with significant fraying.
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The present tangka is a fine and rare example of an important painting made for the Sakya Order, one of the four great orders of Buddhism in Tibet, which depicts the 'Great Masters' of the order. The inscription found at the bottom identifies the four figures as: Kunga Nyingpo, Nganye Chöbar, Sonam Tsemo and Drakpa Gyaltsen.  It may be translated as follows:

Salutations to Nganye Chöbar, the learned one,
Who, for the sake of others, works diligently towards realisation.
And has thereby obtained power
In samadhi, in pre-knowledge and in magical transformation.

Salutations to Kunga Nyingpo, powerful yogi of the Sakyapa,
Who works continually for the sake of others, because you possess
great compassion.
You, lama of the excellent learned ones, being without obscurity
in all knowledge,
Are a real manifestation of Manjusri.
You have (the real nature) of all dharmas impressed upon your mind.

Salutations to Sonan Tsemo, excellent friend of all beings,
Through your vast wisdom, you accomplish actions of immeasurable merit.

Salutations to Drakpa Gyaltsen, lord of all the vajradhara,
Who has gone over to the other shore of the ocean of tantra,
Seeing the essence of all dharmas.

(Translation by Heather Stoddard)

Stoddard in her notes on this tangka (see a letter dated 11^th June 1985) mentions that three of the figures portrayed belong to the 'Five Great Sakyapas' who were the early teachers of the order. However, Nganye Chöbar appears to be an even earlier figure who possibly pre-dates the others.  Kunga Nyingpo also known as the Great Sakyapa (Sa-chen) (1092-1158), was the specialist above all in the Hevajra cycle, Hevajra being the protector divinity of the Sakya Order. He was the first of the great early masters. Sonam Tsemo (1142-1182) is described in the Sakya Order's main text, the Sa-skya bka'-bum, as one who worked hard to achieve the organization and systematic classification of the tantric texts. He also wrote short expositions of the doctrine. Drakpa Gyaltsen (1182-1231) was the author of many works of tantric exegisis, dogmatics and of medical treaties. On the back of the tangka there are further prayer inscriptions in Tibetan.

The four Sakya masters seen on this tangka are painted in a distinct style attributable to the Ming period. This was a time when Tibetan artists' expression reached the height of dynamic naturalism. The figures' facial features are remarkably realistic, with their eyes skilfully painted to convey their gentle disposition. The subtle modelling of the four figures is in sharp contrast with the ornamental and richly coloured background. However, these seemingly conflicting elements form a harmonious unity, and create an imagery that is beautiful and striking. While the overall style of the design is imbued with Indian and Nepalese influence, the fluid drapery of the robes is derived from Chinese sources, possibly those of Yongle and early Ming sculptures.

A number of tangkas made for the Sakya Order were included in the exhibition Wisdom and Compassion, the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1991; for example one depicting Kunga Nyingpo, attributed to the Tsang and dated to circa 1429, from the collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, cat. no. 61.The Ellsworth tangka provides an interesting precedent to the present example for its use of muted tones of blue, red and mustard yellow, and the stylistic similarities seen on the depiction of the figures, especially the facial expression of the lamas. The face of Kunga Nyingpo, identifiable in both paintings, is depicted soft and gentle, his eyes expressive and lips slightly opened in a benign smile. Compare also a tangka, from the Zimmerman Family collection, ibid., cat. no. 64, depicting the Indian Pandit Gayadhara Guru of the Sakya Order.  It similarly bears a Tibetan inscription at the bottom which identifies the various lamas of the Sakya Order.  A number of stylistic parallels can be seen between the Zimmerman painting and the present tangka, however, the pallet used on the former is noticeably richer and brighter, characteristic of paintings made slightly later, during the third quarter of the 16^th century.