A THANGKA OF BUDDHA AND JATAKA TALES Lot n° 39

A THANGKA OF BUDDHA AND JATAKA TALES Tibet, 19th century. Distemper and gold on cloth. Painted in vibrant colors with Buddha seated in dhyanasana on a lotus throne, his hands lowered in dhyana mudra and holding an alms bowl, wearing loose-fitting patchwork robes, his serene face with downcast eyes and benevolent smile, surrounded by temples and monastery scenes with teachers and worshippers, detailing episodes in the Buddha’s previous lives, all in a verdant mountainous landscape. Inscriptions: To the back, ‘Om Ah Hum’. Provenance: From an old German private collection, acquired before 2007. Condition: Good condition with minor wear, creasing, and little soiling. Dimensions: Image size 84 x 56.5 cm, Size incl. frame 115.5 x 80.5 cm With a silk brocade mounting and gold-lacquered wood frame. The present painting depicts Buddha Shakyamuni surrounded by vignettes depicting various Jataka tales from the compendium of tales authored by the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339). The present work was likely part of a larger set depicting the hundred Jataka tales, with each painting centered by an image of Buddha Shakyamuni. The rich palette of greens and blues, evocative of Chinese landscape paintings, indicates the work is a product of the eighteenth or nineteenth century, when diffusion of artistic styles between Tibetan and Chinese culture was at its zenith. Literature comparison: Compare a related thangka depicting Buddha Shakyamuni and scenes from his life, dated to the 19th century, in the Rubin Museum of Art, object number C2006.66.222. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s London, 14 May 2014, lot 378 Price: GBP 31,250 or approx. EUR 53,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A large painted tangka of buddha and jataka tales, Tibet, 18th/early 19th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and manner of painting.