Various OwnersA Chinese thangka of a Dralha19th centuryThe central warrior seated astride a white horse, holding a riding crop in his right hand, flanked with eight warriors, all trampling upon demons, a suit of armour, weapons, silks and fruits arranged as offerings towards the bottom, surrounded with mythical beasts, the Five Buddhas seated across the top of the scene, with a wrathful Vajrapani to the right and Padmasambhava to the left, mounted on silk brocade on a gilt-metal roller.87.5cm (34 1/2in) x 54 cm (21 1/4in)注脚The present lot likely depicts a group of Dralha known as the Nine Enemy God Brothers. A Dralha is a native Tibetan god subjugated into Buddhism by the guru Padmasambhava and kept under scrutiny by a wrathful Vajrapani; both of whom can be seen flanking the top row of deities. It is difficult to pinpoint which brother the red-faced warrior represents; compare with a thangka, Mongolian 19th century, in the Rubin Museum of Art (illustrated on www.himalayanart.org item no. 65613) representing the nine brothers with Dralha Tatug Karpo in the centre and a similar set of animals and offering objects across the bottom.