A THANGKA OF EKADASHAMUKHA AVALOKITESHVARA, EASTERN TIBET OR YUNNAN, 17TH -18TH CENTURY, CIRCLE OF CHOYING DORJE (1604-1674)

Expert’s note
: In 1645, the Tenth Karmapa, Choying Dorje (1604-1674), fled Tibet, eventually taking refuge in the city of Lijiang (Yunnan province) until his death. There, according to his biographies, he created a copy of a famous set of silk arhat paintings kept at Gangkar monastery in Sichuan province, called the Drakthokma Arhats (Arhats atop Rocks). The eccentric style in which these copies were executed shares some characteristics with the present work. Compared to most Tibetan thangkas, both have a strong Chinese aesthetic, adopting not only traditional figural and floral elements, but also Chinese brushwork techniques and the medium of monochromatic ink on silk, with only few pale pigments added to the present work for accentuation.

In fluid lines, this remarkable painting creates a dynamic image of the eleven-headed and eight-armed deity standing in samabhanga atop a lotus dais. His principal hands are clasped together in anjali mudra, the secondary hands radiate around him, holding the dharma wheel, a water vessel, a mala (prayer beads), a lotus blossom, and a bow and arrow, and one held out in varada mudra. He is wearing a layered dhoti cascading in graceful folds as well as a billowing scarf draped over both shoulders, and richly adorned with fine jewelry.

Black ink and pigment on cloth, with an ancient silk brocade frame, mounted as a hanging scroll with a wood handle.


Provenance:
From an old private collection in Budapest, Hungary, acquired during the first half of the 20th century.

Condition:
Good condition with some wear, soiling, creases and small losses. Some tears and losses to the mounting. The ink is still crisp, the pigments are intentionally pale.

Dimensions: Image size 31.2 x 24.5 cm, Size incl. mounting 66.9 x 37.1 cm


Avalokiteshvara is backed by a red mandorla
with rainbow-colored borders and flanked in the lower register by Green and White Tara seated on lotus thrones, surrounded by a verdant mountainous landscape with large lotus and peony blossoms, and thick swirling clouds beneath the moon and sun.


The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
(Chenrezig) is the patron deity of Tibet, embodying the compassion of all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times. In the standing form, Ekadashamukha Avalokiteshvara (Eleven faced Avalokiteshvara) is closely associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance and fortune.




西藏東部或雲南十七至十八世紀十一面觀音唐卡

布本水墨設色，絲綢錦框，木柄掛軸。線條流暢，十一面八臂觀音站在蓮花台上，主手合十結印，副手呈放射狀，手持法輪、水器、念珠、蓮花、弓箭，另一隻手結施予印。觀音身穿袈裟，下身著長裙，雙肩披帔帛，項圈、長鏈、耳環、手鐲、臂釧裝飾全身。


來源：
匈牙利布達佩斯私人收藏，購於二十世紀上半葉。

品相：
狀況良好，有一些磨損、污垢、摺痕和小缺損，裱有一些水漬、缺損，墨色依然清晰，顏料變淺。

尺寸：畫面 31.2 x 24.5 厘米，總 66.9 x 37.1 厘米