Tangka représentant Pehar sur un éléphant blanc Détrempe sur tissu Chine, dynastie Qing, XVIIIE siècle

au centre Pehar au visage bleu foncé vêtu d'une riche robe de brocart et coiffé d'un grand chapeau à bords plats tenant dans ses mains un corde et un poignard, assis sur un éléphant blanc luxueusement harnaché, accompagné en haut de gauche à droite du roi de la parole Lu-vang, Padmasambhava et une autre représentation de Pehar, le roi de l'activité, monté sur un lion blanc et en bas de Thok-chhö à gauche, Da-lha à droite et Chebu damchan au centre

Acquired in Mongolia in the 1950s.

The thangka is in overall good condition with some small black stains to the red border framing the scene ; some very light wear to the upper left corner ; the actual colors are much more bright and lively than the catalogue illustration suggests ; the blue background and green mountains are particularly more vivid and intense.
"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 main figure in this thangka is Gyalpo Pehar, a wrathful Central Asian deity who became protector and chief guardian spirit of Buddhism in Tibet in the eighth century. His fierce character is characterised by his dark blue complexion, his three bulging eyes and his long curling fingernails. He is depicted astride a white elephant brandishing a lasso and a knife with a long pointed blade. Together with the four corner figures, they represent the five aspects of Pehar: his body, mind, speech, knowledge and activity. All five kings each wear the distinctive round Mongolian hat with a skull and a vajra on top indicating their foreign status.
The fine Qing court style painting depicting the Five Pehar Gyalpos of the Terma (Buddhist treasure-guardians) reflects the Qianlong (r. 1735-1796) emperor’s espousal of vajrayana Buddhism under the tutelage of his guru Rolpai Dorje (1717-1786). The principal manifestation of the wrathful Pehar rides a white caparisoned elephant at the centre of the landscape, with his four companions at each corner riding black horses and white snow-lions. Between the two Pehar manifestations in the lower register Damchen Garwai Nagpo appears riding a brown goat with horns twisted together. These fierce treasure-guardians are believed to have been 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. Padmasambhava himself is represented at the top centre of the painting identified by his attributes of vajra, kapala and khatvanga and his distinctive red cap. With the endorsement of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682) the Five Pehar kings and Damchen and his retinue became major guardian figures for the Gelukpa, the Yellow Hat order of Tibetan Buddhism to which the emperor Qianlong adhered. The painting thus reflects the important relationship between Tibet and China in the Qianlong period in the protection of the Buddhist dharma.