AN EXCEPTIONAL SET OF SEVENTEEN SILK BROCADE 'NARTHANG' COMMEMORATIVE THANGKAS REPUBLICAN PERIOD, CA. 1937

depicting the lineage of the Panchen Lamas and their pre-incarnations, each woven in multi-coloured threads and mounted as a scroll

Acquired in Mumbai from a Nepalese dealer between 1961 and 1965, where the owner had professional assignments as a chemist and kept since then.

The thangkas are in very good condition. The colours are very fresh. There are a few expected loose thread and minor occasional srains but overall the whole set has been very well preserved. One of the lacquer scroll mount end of the thangka no.9 is missing. All the others are complete.
"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."

These thangkas belong to a larger set woven during the Republican period at the official weaving manufactory in Hangzhou to commemorate the death of the Panchen Lama. They depicts the lineage of the Panchen Lamas and their pre-incarnations, each identified by the inscription in Tibetan at the bottom of the image. They follow an 18th century model produced at Narthang monastery and reproduced widely in xylographic format. See for example a Sakya Pandita woven thangka in the Potala Palace, Lhasa, illustrated in David Jackson, A History of Tibetan Painting, Wien, 1996, p. 237, fig. 118. Compare also three thangkas from the same set, sold in these rooms, 3rd June 2016, lot 759.

The present thangkas respectively depict:

1- Vidyadhara Manjukirti, the eighth King of Shambala, with attendant and a sage, a worldly protector deity on horseback below, Dharmaraja Sureshana above the palace and Sahaja Heruka Kalachakra to the left embracing his consort Vishvamata.
2- Sonam Choglang (1438-1505), the second Panchen Lama, with Sonam Rinchen above right with acolyte, Heruka Manjuvajra Guhyasamaja in clouds above and Sri Devi Magzor Gyalmo emerging from smoke and flames below.
3- Bhavaviveka, the Indian scholar and pre incarnation of the Panchen Lamas, in debate with a naked ascetic whose head is shaved by a monk below, with Chathurbuja Mahakala to the right, Arya Nagarjuna above and Heruka Chakrasamvara in a mountainous landscape to the right.
4- Khedrup Geleg Pal Zangpo offering a cosmic mandala to Tsongkhapa riding a white elephant above left, with Sahaja Heruka Vajrabhairava to the right, Shadbhuja Mahakala lower left with Khedrup editing Shadbhuja literature lower right.
5- Thubten Choekyi Nyima (1883-1937), the ninth Panchen Lama, with Yama Dharmaraja below left, Shadbhuja Mahakala and the worldly protector Drahla riding a white horse to the lower right, Tsongkhapa above flanked by previous  Panchen lamas, Amitayus and Sahaja Heruka Vajrabhairava.
6- Go Lotsawa with scenes depicting his renowned translations into Tibetan of sacred Indian texts, Jowo Atisha above left with Heruka Akshobhyavajra Guhyasamaja to the right, and Kartaridhara Mahakala lower left.
7- Padmasambhava with Heruka Vajrakila below, Shakyamuni Buddha above with Heruka Hayagriva, mahasiddhas and Panchen lineage hierarchs.
8- Lobzang Palden Yeshe (1738-1780), sixth Panchen Lama, with Green Tara above flanked by Vajrabhairava and the seventh Dalai Lama Kalsang Gyatso (1708-1757), with Mahakala, Sri Devi and Drahla below.
9- Palden Tenpai Nyima (1782-1853), seventh Panchen Lama, with Vajrabhairava, Buddha Amitabha and Gelukpa hierarch above, an enthroned Tsongkhapa flanked by Manjushri and Vajrapani to the right, Dorje Setrap, Sri Devi and Drahla below.
10- Yungton Dorje Pal (1284-1365) surrounded by monks, with Zurwang Jampa Sengge reading a text and the face Mahakala appearing out of fire and smoke to the right, Raktayamari in clouds above and Bhagavan Mahakala below.
11- Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251) debating with the naked Indian ascetic Tirtika Harinanda, Chaturmukha Mahakala below, Maitreya as an ascetic standing in front of Tushita palace to the left, with Manjusri and Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216) in clouds above.
12- Tanpai Wangchuk, (1854/5-1882), 5th Panchen Lama, surrounded by monks with Sri Devi, Panjara Mahakala and Begtse below, Majusri and Sarasvati above with Tsongkhapa at the apex flanked by Hayagriva to the left and a Panchen lineage holder to the right.
13- Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662), the fist Panchen Lama and tutor to the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, Sita Chakrasamvara and Khedrup Sanggye Yeshe above, Maitreya seated within a rainbow sphere to the right with a mahasiddha and monk in attendance, and Vaishravana and Begtse below.
14- Abhayakaragupta, the Indian mahasiddha and a pre incarnation of the Panchen Lamas, with a snake coiled around his shoulders, bound miscreants and Panjara Mahakala below, and Narodakini and a mahasiddha in clouds above. Abhayakaragupta is recognizable by his red pandit's cap with hanging lappets, a snake wrapped around his upper body, and is often depicted with dark skin and a beard. He is known by several names, including Vajrasana and Abhayadatta. Under the name Vajrasana, he enumerated the list of Eighty-Four mahasiddhas commonly used and known as the so-called Vajrasana list.
15- Subhuti, a student of Shakyamuni Buddha and a pre incarnation of the Panchen Lamas, with left hand resting on a Kyung bird emerging from a cosmic ocean, Guardians of the Buddhist Law gathered below, the elder in attendance to Buddha Shakyamuni above.
16- Ensapa Lobzang Dondrup (1505-1565), the third Panchen Lama, surrounded by students with Chokyi Dorje within a rainbow sphere and Mahachakra Vajrapani above and Yama Dharmaraja below.
17- Lobzang Yeshe (1663-1737), the fifth Panchen Lama, joined from the heart to Manjushri within a rainbow sphere, Vajrabhairava, Amitabha Buddha and Khenchen Dorje Dzinpa above, Dorje Setrab, Sri Devi and Drahla below.

The inclusion of Thubten Choekyi Nyima, the ninth Panchen Lama, no. 5 above, is interesting as he very rarely appears on these sets. His dates are 1883-1937 which can also help dating the series. No. 7, Padmasambhava the 8th century Indian guru is another unusual inclusion in these sets.