Rare Thangka Impérial de Guan Yu détrempe sur tissu Chine, dynastie Qing, époque Qianlong (1736-1795)

habillé d’une robe verte brodée d’un dragon sous une cotte de mailles décorée d’animaux fabuleux protégeant les épaules et les genoux, le visage rouge, sa main droite levée caressant sa longue barbe noire, le bras gauche en position akimbo, assis sur un fauteuil recouvert d’une peau de tigre, sous un dais, un autel portant le astamangala et garni de brûle-parfums, pique-cierges et vases de fleurs, le général entouré de ses ministres, serviteurs, capitaines et de son cheval rouge avec son palefrenier, parmi des joyaux, cornes de rhinocéros et objets auspicieux, dans un paysage verdoyant sous des nuages multicolores tourbillonnant, un portant rempli de lances, les cinq Pehar Gyalpos du Terma assis sur des nuages dans le ciel bleu au-dessus accueillant le soleil à droite et la lune à gauche

Acquired in Mongolia in the 1950s.

The thangka is in overall good condition with the exception of a horizontal scratch extending from the upper left hand rim and running ca. 1cm below the upper rim of the painting to the right hand side. In some parts, the scratch is cutting into the cloth. There are losses to the pigment along the corners, along the edges of the painting and a ca. 10cm long scratch to the right of the figure's throne. The colours are vibrant and fresh, with fine gold detailing.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The historical figure Guan Yu was a general at the time of the demise of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), in the employ of the future Three Kingdoms (220-280) emperor Liu Bei (161-223). The general became a mythical figure in later Chinese history, adopted by diverse faiths as a model of righteousness. In this fine Qianlong court painting he is depicted as a Buddhist Guardian of the Law in which his military prowess is turned to defend the dharma. The Eight Auspicious Buddhist Emblems, astamangala, arranged on the altar confirm his Buddhist role in this emanation, while the Tibetan treasure protectors, the Five Pehar Gyalpos of the Terma, in the sky above reflect the Qianlong emperor’s espousal of vajrayana Buddhism under the tutelage of his Tibetan guru Rolpai Dorje, who is depicted in another court painting in the Van Heusden collection, lot 30. Indeed, it would have been Rolpai Dorje, as master iconographer at court, who would have devised this particular manifestation of the Chinese general, pairing him with the gods of Tibetan Buddhism. The fierce Pehar Gyalpo treasure guardians were Central Asian indigenous spirits before the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet by the Indian sage Padmasambhava in the seventh century, and were subjugated by the guru into Buddhist service under the Nyingmapa tradition. With the endorsement of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682), the five Pehar kings became major guardian figures for the Gelukpa, the Yellow Hat order of Tibetan Buddhism to which Rolpai Dorje and his emperor Qianlong adhered. The painting thus reflects the important relationship between Tibet and China in the Qianlong period with the unification of diverse traditions in the protection of the Buddhist dharma, while the emperor could be seen to identify with the power and virtue of the legendary Guan Yu with his ministers and steed at his side. Rolpai Dorje oversaw these iconographic nuances to favour the emperor as well as directing the artistic styles at court, which in this painting draw on Ming dynasty (1368-1644) traditions in the portrayal of Guan Yu and attendant figures surrounded by clouds done in the classic later Ming style. The Tibetan deities above are painted in the Qing period court style, as seen in the Van Heusden Avalokitesvara, lot 29, dated to the thirtieth year of the Qianlong reign, 1765, in which Guan Yu is also depicted as a protector deity.