Until 31st Mar, 2025
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A THANGKA OF SONGTSEN GAMPO, FOUNDER OF THE TIBETAN EMPIRE, 19TH CENTURY
Lot 37 - HS1224
Tibet. Gold and distemper on cloth. The king seated in dhyanasana on a cushioned throne with numerous offerings before him, dressed in fine robes and wearing a five-leaf crown, his right hand lowered holding a white band, the left hand supporting a gold dharmachakra, backed by a blue mandorla and green aureole. He is seated above water, framed by rockwork, lotus, and birds, with magic pearls below, the lower section depicting the three-headed Ushnishavijaya and Green Tara, the upper register with Padmasabhava and the red-skinned Amitayus.
Provenance: From a European private collection.
Condition: Good condition with minor wear, some creasing, and few touchups.
Dimensions: Image size 34.1 x 26.3 cm, size incl. frame 36.5 x 24.8 cm
Framed behind glass.
Songtsen Gampo was the 33rd Tibetan king (r. c. 618-650) of the Yarlung dynasty and the founder of the Tibetan Empire. The first of three Dharma Kings of Tibet, he formally introduced Buddhism to Tibet and built the Jokhang with the influence of his Nepali queen Bhrikuti, of Nepal's Licchavi dynasty. He unified several Tibetan kingdoms, conquered lands adjacent to Tibet, and moved the capital to the Red Fort in Lhasa.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related Tibetan thangka depicting Songtsen Gampo, dated to the 18th century, Himalayan Art Resources, item number 101705.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 22 March 2018, lot 983
Price: USD 3,500 or approx. EUR 4,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A thangka depicting Padmasambhava, 18th-19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related manner of painting. Note the size (68 x 45.5 cm) and that Songtsen Gampo is depicted in the lower register.
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