A SILK APPLIQUÉ THANGKA DEPICTING CHITIPATI (SHMASHANA ADHIPATI), MONGOLIA, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

Published & Exhibited: E & J Frankel Ltd., Steppes: Forward and Back. 17^th & 18^th Century Buddhist Bronzes Thankas and Sakhui, New York, 18 September-18 October 2008, p. 26, pl. 17.

The enlightened couple in appearance of two identical skeletons, the Father balances one foot on a conch shell and the Mother on a cowrie, the other foot bent at the knee, all atop a flat sun disc and multicolored lotus seat surrounded by the flames of pristine awareness. The hands of the deities raised and clasped around a skull-stick, skull-cup, pouch, and quill.

Dressed in simple skirts with a billowing scarf draped around their shoulders, the deities with wrathful expressions, bulging eyes below furrowed brows, centered by a third eye, the mouth agape and revealing a full set of teeth and a curling tongue. A diminutive sun and moon to either side of the composition.

Inscriptions: To the back, ‘Om Ah Hum’.

Provenance: From the Estate of Edith and Joel Frankel, New York, USA, and thence by descent in the family. E & J Frankel was a major New York gallery specializing in Asian Art since 1967. Run by Edith (1939-2012) and Joel Frankel (1937-2018), it was one of the oldest galleries in the United States focusing exclusively on Asian art. Leaders in their field, the Frankels traveled the world in search of Asian art treasures and educated the general public about their shared passion. Their gallery on Madison Avenue in New York City became a local institution, best known for its regular schedule of innovative thematic exhibitions, and frequently visited by the biggest names in the field, such as Eskenazi, Ellsworth, Junkunc, and the Alsdorfs.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear. The frame with expected wear and signs of use.

Dimensions: Image size 42 x 32 cm, Size incl. frame 45 x 36 cm

Set within a finely painted wood frame with faux-bois and ruyi decoration, dating from the same period, behind glass. (2)

Chitipati are a divine skeleton couple also and initially known as Shri Shmashana Adhipati, "the lord and lady of the charnel ground." They act as protector deities, particularly against thieves and grave robbers, vowing to destroy enemies of the Dharma. They are closely associated with the Chakrasamvara Tantra and visually represented as intertwined jovial skeletal figures, each holding various attributes, dancing in a halo of wild flames. Their wrathful and skeletal appearance can be likened to a momento mori, acting as a reminder of death and the temporality of all things. As macabre lords of the cremation grounds, they serve to remind Tibetans of the inevitability of death and decay, while at the same time, to celebrate one's ultimate liberation from duality. A much beloved subject in Tibetan Buddhism, the Chitipati are represented on thangkas and appliques, in sculpture, on wooden shrines and furniture, and as elaborate costumes worn during ceremonial dances (Cham), in a visual type that becomes standardized for centuries.

Memento mori (Latin for 'remember that you die') is an artistic or symbolic trope acting as a reminder of the inevitability of death. The concept has its roots in the philosophers of classical antiquity and appeared in art and architecture from the medieval period onwards. The most common motif is a skull, often accompanied by one or more bones, or a complete skeleton. Often this alone is enough to evoke the trope, but sometimes other motifs such as a coffin, hourglass and wilting flowers were added to signify the impermanence of human life.

From Leonardo to Basquiat, the most important artists of the modern world were fascinated by the Memento Mori trope. Likewise, the Chitipati are a reminder of the eternal cycle of life and death. Furthermore, there is a mind training practice in Tibetan Buddhism known as Lojong, the 'Four Contemplations to Cause a Revolution in the Mind'. The second of these four is the contemplation of impermanence and death. In particular, one contemplates that:

All compounded things are impermanent,
The human body is a compounded thing,
Therefore, death of the body is certain,
The time of death is uncertain and beyond our control.

There are a number of classic verse formulations of these contemplations meant for daily reflection to overcome our strong habitual tendency to live as though we will certainly not die today.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related silk embroidered thangka and a painted appliqué depicting Chitipati, from the collection of Richard and Magdalena Ernst, illustrated by Jeff Watt on Himalayan Art Resources, item numbers 18404 and 18387.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams Paris, 15 December 2022, lot 161
Price: EUR 15,300 or approx. EUR 14,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A silk applique thangka of Chitipati, Mongolia, 19^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related motif, design, and technique. Note the size (72.5 X 58 cm).