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A THANGKA OF CHATURBHUJA AVALOKITESHVARA, TIBET, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

A THANGKA OF CHATURBHUJA AVALOKITESHVARA, TIBET, 18TH-19TH CENTURY Distemper on cloth. Seated on a lotus pedestal in dhyanasana with his primary hands holding a jewel at his chest while his secondary hands hold a lotus blossom and mala beads. Clothed in a blue and red dhoti and wearing a billowing green scarf. His serene face with sinuously lidded eyes below elegantly arched brows, a broad nose, and full lips forming a calm smile. His hair arranged in a high chignon topped by the red-skinned head of the Buddha Amitabha behind the five-leaf tiara, backed by a radiating mandorla and green halo. Provenance: From the collection of Dr. Wou Kiuan. Wou Lien-Pai Museum, coll. no. P.46. Dr. Wou Kiuan (1910-1997) was a Chinese diplomat and noted scholar of Chinese art. His father, Wou Lien-Pai (1873-1944), was one the leading political figures of early 20th century China, remembered for his role as speaker and leader of parliament during the turbulent years of the Republican era. Dr. Wou himself embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy until his retirement in 1952, when he settled in London and devoted the rest of his life to the study of Chinese art. It was no doubt fortuitous that Dr. Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to the late 1960s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented virtually every category of Chinese art. At the heart of Dr. Wou’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and culture. It is unclear when Dr. Wou conceived of the idea to create a place to house his collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor of his father. Over the years the Museum became a ‘must see’ destination for collectors, academics, and visiting dignitaries, and Dr. Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries, recounting stories of China’s glorious history. Condition: Good condition with minor wear, minimal soiling, creasing, few small losses. Dimensions: Image size 44 x 29.5 cm, Size incl. frame 65.9 x 51.9 cm The lower register with Manjusri seated in dhyanasana on a lotus throne, wielding his sword with his right hand and holding a lotus in his left coming to full bloom at the shoulder supporting a book, and Mahakala striding in alidhasana, wearing a tiger skin, engulfed in flames. All within a verdant landscape with fruiting leafy peach branches below the sun and moon. Literature comparison:Compare a related thangka of Chaturbhuja Avalokiteshvara, dated to the 19th century, in the Tibet House Museum in New Delhi, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 72057. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 14 September 2010, lot 154 Price: USD 6,250 or approx. EUR 8,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A thangka of Chaturbhuja Avalokiteshvara, central Tibet, Menri style, 19th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and manner of painting. Note the size (65.5 x 44.5 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 18 September 2013, lot 277 Price: USD 11,875 or approx. EUR 14,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A painting of Chaturbhuja Avalokiteshvara, Tibet, 18th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and manner of painting. Note the different mandorla and the size (64.1 x 43.2 cm).

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A THANGKA OF CHATURBHUJA AVALOKITESHVARA, TIBET, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

Estimate 1 000 - 2 000 EUR
Starting price 1 000 EUR

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For sale on Friday 28 Jun : 11:00 (CEST)
vienna, Austria
Galerie Zacke
+4315320452
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