Tibet, c. 1700. Painted with gouache and gold on cloth, this very fine painting depicts Hevajra with consort, accentuated with gold highlights. Matted, framed, behind glass. Condition: Overall good condition with creases, losses of pigments, stains. Provenance: Collection of Mrs. L. and Mr. B., a former UNESCO Ambassador to India, in office from 1960 to 1970.
Dimensions: 33 x 25 cm (image size), 49 x 40 cm (size incl. frame)
Hevajra is portrayed here with eight heads, sixteen arms and four legs standing in Ardhaparyankasana with his consort Nairatmya, trampling underfoot four supine figures atop a lotus throne, wearing garlands of skulls and severed heads, holding kapala aloft in the many hands, surrounded by religious leaders or deities such as a Lama or Kubera.
Auction result comparison: Compare with a 19th century Hevajra thangka of slightly larger size at Christie’s Paris in Art d’Asie on 12 December 2018, lot 37, sold for EUR €9,375.