Published & Exhibited: Nathalie Bazin (ed.), Rituels tibétains: Visions secrètes du Ve Dalai Lama, Musée Guimet, Paris, 2002, cat. no. 53, page 111.

Distemper and gold on cloth. Encompassed by flickering flames he stands in samapada on ganapati placed on a lotus dais. His principal hands holding the ritual chopper and blood-filled skull. The other four with drum, rosary, staff and lasso. Khyung po rnal ‘byor depicted directly above with Naropa and his sister to his left and right, both flanking Vajradhara. Within the upper left corner Samvara in union with Vajrayogini above Chakrasamvara, and the right corner with Kechari above Hayagriva.

Provenance: The Private Collection of Lionel and Danielle Fournier, collected in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s. Christie’s Paris, 12 December 2018, lot 54, sold for EUR 62,500 or approx. EUR 71,000 (adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collection in France, acquired from the above. Lionel Fournier (1943-2017) was an important collector and leading expert in Buddhist art from Tibet, Indian, and China, traveling extensively to Buddhist monasteries. He provided the photographs for Pratapaditya Pal’s “A Buddhist Paradise, The Murals of Alchi”, Western Himalayas, 1982. In the winter of 1990-1991, the Fourniers donated a part of their collection to the Musée Guimet, the donation titled “Art ésotérique de l’Himâlaya, la donation Lionel Fournier”, with a catalogue by Gilles Béguin. Both Lionel and Danielle Fournier received several awards for their generosity and work, culminating in their reception of the Knight of the Legion of Honor, the highest decoration to a civilian in France.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, light rubbing, and minimal creasing. The gold is particularly well preserved.

Dimensions: Image size 73.5 x 49.3 cm, Size incl. frame 98.8 x 69.9 cm

The lower register shows various protective deities. Many of these have identifying inscriptions written in gold, which have become illegible over time. The figures depicted are Kshetrapala riding his bear mount at the center next to two depictions of Trakshe riding his horse on the right with blue Takiraja and Shri Devi on the left.

The spiritual teacher directly above the central figure was identified by Amy Heller as Khyungpo Neljor, founder of the Shangpa Kagyu order, see Nathalie Bazin, ed., Rituels tibétains: Visions secrètes du Ve Dalai Lama, Paris, 2002, p. 110. Heller also identified Naropa (c. 956-1040), a Buddhist Mahasiddha and disciple of Tilopa and Niguma, and his sister.

Nakthang or black ground painting originated in Tibet in the fourteenth century and is based on the Indian tantric paradigm of charnal ground ashes used to create black painted surfaces for the depiction of wrathful deities. The current work is a fine example of nakthang painting, demonstrating masterly heightened gold work and immaculate detailing.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related black-ground thangka of Shadbhuja Mahakala, 31.2 x 23.5 cm, dated to the 18^th century, in the Rubin Museum of Art, accession number F1996.18.4, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 471. Compare a related black-ground thangka of Shadbhuja Mahakala, 56.5 x 36.8, dated to the 19^th century, in the Rubin Museum of Art, accession number F1998.15.2, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 650.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 17 March 2015, lot 1012
Price: USD 93,750 or approx. EUR 110,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A nathangka depicting Shadbuja Mahakala, Tibet, 17^th/18^th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, style, and manner of painting, with similar pose, expression, lotus dais, and surrounding figures.