- 117
A Red Ground Thangka Depicting the Life of Atisha
Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 USD
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Description
- Distemper on cloth
Provenance
Acquired between 1987—2001
Exhibited
The World of Mandala—Tamashige Tibet Collection, Okura Museum of Art, Tokyo, April 1—June 19, 2005
Literature
The World of Mandala—Tamashige Tibet Collection, Okura Museum of Art, Tokyo, 2005, p. 34, cat. no. 21
Condition
Wear, rubbing and loss to pigment, as viewed, most visible in lower left and lower right quadrants. Scattered areas of water staining at upper right quadrant, around Drom Rinpoche at Atisha's proper right, and at lower left quadrant.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Seated on a lotus throne with his hands in the gesture of dharmachakramudra or explication, Atisha Dipamkara is flanked by his main disciple Dromtonpa on his left , and Ngok Legpai Sherab, the founder of Sangpu Neutog monastery, on his right. Atisha is recognizable by his personal attributes and traditional accoutrements which point to his abbatial Bengali origin. Shown here in the distinctive Indian-style pandit’s cap with hanging lappets, Atisha is flanked on his left by a pitaka or basket, in which Indian religious texts would be stored, and a Kadampa stupa or reliquary on his right. The triad of Atisha and these two accoutrements are often shown together and represent the body (Atisha), speech (texts) and mind (reliquary) of the Buddha.
Compare a gold on red ground thangka depicting scenes from the life of Atisha, probably from the same series as the Tamashige example, see Pia and Louis Van der Wee, A Tale of Thangkas: Living with a Collection, Antwerp, 1998, p. 48, fig. 18.
Compare a gold on red ground thangka depicting scenes from the life of Atisha, probably from the same series as the Tamashige example, see Pia and Louis Van der Wee, A Tale of Thangkas: Living with a Collection, Antwerp, 1998, p. 48, fig. 18.
Himalayan Art Resource no. 31232