Chinese Embroidered Qing thangka

[TARA]

Such exquisite embroidery of Buddha Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi thangka from Qing Dynasty.



A Chinese Qing dynasty (1644-1912) embroidered thangka, depicting Buddhist deities Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi, has sold for $1.5m.

The lot smashed an estimate of $120,000 by 1,150% in Sotheby's September 16 Images of Enlightenment sale.

Sotheby's comments: "This finely embroidered silk-floss thangka depicts the yidams or meditational deities Chakrasamvara and his consort Vajravarahi, the principal deities of the Anuttarayoga or Highest Yoga Tantra, joined in ecstatic union.

"The precision and meticulous detailing of the thangka reflects the spectacular skill of the artisans and ateliers associated with the Qing Imperial court, located in the textile workshops in the region of Suzhou in Eastern China."

A grey stone head of a Bodhisattva, produced in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907), was another highlight, realising $670,000.

It beat its estimate of $500,000 by 34%.

The lot bears similarities to other Buddha heads from the Longmen cave complex in Henan province. It was from here that this distinctly Chinese envisioning of Buddha spread across the country.

The sale took place as part of Asian Art Week in New York. Other auctions this week have featured a 15th century Tibetan statue, a 16th century Tibetan bronze and a Chinese Yongzheng era celadon vase.

http://www.paulfrasercollectibles.com/news/antiques/chinese-embroidered-qing-thangka-smashes-estimate/20053.page?

[Dondrup Shugden]

Such exquisite works of art are very difficult to come by in this day and age.  Congratulations to the new owners of such great Buddhist work of art.  May they be cherished forever so that we may have the privilege to view them.

[yontenjamyang]

Modern society has gone on in treating sacred buddhist artwork as something to judge on its prices. If this is true, it is unfortunate.While the skill, artistry and quality of any representation of the Buddhas; statues, thangkas, pendants or in any other form; is important, it is only insofar as the meaning behind it ie the qualities of enlightenment or its activities that is represents. The viewers and practitioners should view these qualities as qualities to be achieved and not the price of the artwork.

[eyesoftara]

This thangka is really high quality and has been preserved well. Not wonder the valuation is high. Having said that the true value is of course the what the thangka represent and who has owned it before. With the line of logic, by right a thangka that has been owned by a high Lama will be many times that of one that was owned by an emperor; unless the said emperor was a Bodhisattva.

[psylotripitaka]

Homage to the living Guru Heruka Father and Mother appearing right now before my eyes!


One of the commitments of Buddhist refuge is to view any image of Buddha as an actual Buddha. When you saw this image, or look again, do you believe or feel in your heart that this image is a living Buddha, nine other than your own Guru appearing before you?

[kris]

I agree with @yontenjamyang that we should not judge these items by dollar value, though it does give an indication of how good quality of the item.

I was hoping thangka and historical items should be kept in museum for everyone to see. What do you think?

[Matibhadra]

I was hoping thangka and historical items should be kept in museum for everyone to see. What do you think?

Actually such items should be returned to their orignal countries. Indeed, numberless such precious, sacred items, have been stolen from their original places and cultures in Asia, Middle East, South America, etc. by Western colonizers and transnational organized mafias (which is about the same) specialized in trafficking cultural heritage and property, before being privately sold or even publicly auctioned to their new illegitimate “owners”, often Western private collectors, in dens of criminals such as Sotheby's, if not directly transferred to Western museums such as the British Museum or even to the British “queen”, all such recipients themselves accomplices of such abject, sordid crimes.

http://www.elginism.com/similar-cases/auction-houses-turn-blind-eye-looted-artefacts/20140425/7388/

http://itsartlaw.com/2013/04/01/sothebys-controversial-sale-of-pre-columbian-artifacts-yields-low-sales-figures-and-highlights-the-increased-efforts-of-countries-to-repatriate-artifacts/

http://mic.com/articles/76321/9-priceless-artifacts-museums-should-return-to-their-home-countries#.nXFLJG20M

[eyesoftara]

For once, I agree with you Matibhadra.

Actually such items should be returned to their orignal countries. Indeed, numberless such precious, sacred items, have been stolen from their original places and cultures in Asia, Middle East, South America, etc. by Western colonizers and transnational organized mafias (which is about the same) specialized in trafficking cultural heritage and property, before being privately sold or even publicly auctioned to their new illegitimate “owners”, often Western private collectors, in dens of criminals such as Sotheby's, if not directly transferred to Western museums such as the British Museum or even to the British “queen”, all such recipients themselves accomplices of such abject, sordid crimes.

Lots of these precious items was stolen from the original countries and put it museum and private collections as though it belongs to these colonists usually Western power. It is ridiculous to steal and take possessions of these items and flaunt it.

[cookie]

In my opinion when a piece of sacred Thangka is transacted at these sort of high price, it will be well looked after as it would be treated as an "investment asset". If displayed, it will plant seeds in people's minds and this is a good way to grow and spread the Dharma !

[angelica]

History of Tibetan Buddhist scroll paintings

The literal translation of the Tibetan word THANG KA means 'recorded message'. Thangkas communicate a message to the practitioner, serving as an aid to teaching and as an aid to meditation through the visualisation of the deity. It is a medium through which the Buddhist philosophy can be explained. Originally lamas and monks used scroll paintings to instruct the Buddhist Dharma (teachings). These paintings were easily transported and unrolled to suit the needs of the mainly nomadic population.

The lama would go to a village, unroll a thangka and use it to illustrate their tales on buddhist philosophy
when narrating before an audience. Thangkas also have public ceremonial uses. Up until today some monasteries possess huge (usually appliqué) thangkas that are unrolled on certain holidays for viewing and worship.

On a deeper level thangka paintings are the visual expression of the fully awakened state of enlightenment,
this being the ultimate goal of the Buddhist spiritual path. That's why a thangka is sometimes called
'the roadmap to enlightenment'. To sketch the figures in a thangka the painter needs an exact knowledge of
the measurements and proportions of each deity as established by Buddhist iconography and artistic practice.

A grid containing these proportions is essential to establish the continuity and correct transmission of the figures.

http://www.tibetanthangkapainting.com/news-history-of-thangka-painting-tibetan-buddhas.html

Value of the thangka should be on the message it convey and not the dollar and cents. Hope that the thangka will blessed those who see it and plant a seed into them.

[fruven]

Modern society has gone on in treating sacred buddhist artwork as something to judge on its prices. If this is true, it is unfortunate.While the skill, artistry and quality of any representation of the Buddhas; statues, thangkas, pendants or in any other form; is important, it is only insofar as the meaning behind it ie the qualities of enlightenment or its activities that is represents. The viewers and practitioners should view these qualities as qualities to be achieved and not the price of the artwork.

I wonder what's the main motivation the seller is letting go of the thangka? Money? Financial gain?

[psylotripitaka]

I prostrate to the living Guru Heruka Father and Mother appearing here right now before my very eyes

[Matibhadra]

I prostrate to the living Guru Heruka Father and Mother appearing here right now before my very eyes

If I would see my kind human guru kidnapped and taken away from his country, sold to human traffickers in an auction, and put in a private cage for public display, I would surely prostrate to him or to his pictures as well.

Still, others would rightfully call me an idiot for not doing anything about it, and for finding it so nice that now many people can receive the blessings from contemplating my guru in his cage!

[Andrea Keating]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful Thangka.

[Klein]

The thangka is exquisite. It's evident that Tibetan Buddhism was prevalent in China and given high respect for centuries. I'm glad that Tibetan Buddhism is reviving in China. HH the Panchen Lama recently gave a Kalachakra initiation in Tibet to hundred over thousand people. It was sponsored by the Chinese govt. How meritorious! More people will be blessed and have a chance to enlightenment.