Published: Galerie Asboth, Das göttliche Antlitz: Antike Thangka aus Tibet 16.-19. Jahrhundert, 1996, p. 14-15, no. 5. Erroneously dated 19^th century in the catalog, but correctly dated 18^th century in the accompanying copy of the pricelist. According to the pricelist, the present lot was sold for ATS 92,000 or EUR 13,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

Distemper and gold on cloth, with a silk brocade mounting. The red-skinned deity seated in dhyanasana on a lotus throne with his hands lowered in dhyana mudra holding a kalasha with the elixir of life, backed by a halo and surrounded by a flaming mandorla. Set within a verdant landscape with rolling hills and clear blue skies, the central deity is surrounded by two lamas in the top corners raised on clouds, and White Tara and the six-armed Ushnishavijaya to the bottom.

Provenance: Galerie Asboth, Vienna, 1996. A private collector in Austria, acquired from the above and thence by descent. A copy of the collector’s notes, confirming the above and noting a statement from Prof. Ernst Steinkellner, dating the present thangka to the 18^th century, accompanies this lot. Prof. Steinkellner presented the introductory address at the opening of the exhibition at Galerie Asboth where the present lot was included. Prof. em. Dr. Ernst Steinkellner holds a Ph.D. in Indian Philosophy from the University of Vienna, where he studied under Erich Frauwallner. After a guest stay at the University of Pennsylvania (1971-1973), he founded the Institute for Tibetology and Buddhist Studies at the University of Vienna and headed this institute until 2000.
In 2008, he was awarded the Ludwig Wittgenstein Prize. Ute Asboth (c. 1927-2018), owner of Galerie Asboth, began her career in the Asian art trade at Galerie Zacke in the early 1980s before eventually founding Galerie Asboth in Vienna, Austria. The gallery specialized in East Asian art and published extensively. Several noted exhibitions were curated in close cooperation with Luigi Bandini from Eskenazi gallery in London, United Kingdom. Some pieces from Ute Asboth’s private collection reside now in the Museum of Ethnology, Vienna (today the Weltmuseum).
Condition: Good condition with expected old wear, some creasing with associated minor losses, some of the colors slightly faded, few stains and minor soiling. Overall displaying exceptionally well.

Dimensions: Image size 88 x 64 cm, Size incl. frame 114 x 90 cm.

Set inside a vintage frame.

Buddha Amitayus, known as the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, is revered in Tibetan Buddhism for his ability to extend the lifespan of practitioners and devotees. In the Mahayana tradition, Buddha is understood to manifest in three bodies: the form body (nirmanakaya), the apparitional body (sambhogakaya), and the ultimate truth body (dharmakaya). Amitayus is considered the sambhogakaya, or apparitional body, of Amitabha Buddha, who represents the form body. While both are the same entity, their distinct appearances reflect these different manifestations, with Amitayus symbolizing boundless life and merit. His striking red hue sets him apart from other forms and serves as a visual expression of his unique attributes, while the dharmakaya, or ultimate truth body, remains beyond physical description, embodying the ineffable nature of ultimate reality.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related thangka depicting red Amitayus, dated to the 18^th century, illustrated in Béla Kelényi and Judit Vinkovics, Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhist Painted Scrolls, Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts, Budapest, 1995, cat. no. 46, and illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 99154.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 16 September 2014, lot 299
Price: USD 37,500 or approx. EUR 48,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A painting of Shakyamuni Buddha, Tibet, 18^th century
Expert remark: Compare the related manner of painting with a similar composition and mandorla. Note the size (72.4 x 50.2 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 12 September 2018, lot 314
Price: USD 60,000 or approx. EUR 73,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large thangka of Sitatara, Mongolia, late 18^th-early 19^th century
Expert remark: Compare the related manner of painting with similar colors and drapery. Note the different size (141 x 87.6 cm).