Description Pigments and gold on cloth. Each thangka lined with a Tibetan inscription in gold at the lower border and set within a silk mount. (6) Ca. 70 x 41 cm The Panchen Lama lineage was established during the 17th century by the Fifth Dalai Lama, when he first bestowed the title of Panchen to his own teacher, Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662). The Panchen Lamas are seen as the second most important figure in the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama. Thirteen eminent Tibetan and Indian scholars from earlier times are considered as the spiritual ancestors of the Panchen Lamas and are seen as their earlier incarnations. All the compositions of the following paintings based on the famous set of wood block carvings and prints of the Narthang monastery, a set of likely thirteen portraits depicting the Panchen Lama lineage and their earlier incarnations. So this current set of six thangkas is supposely also a part of a larger set of likely thirteen paintings. a) Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen The First Panchen Lama holding a manuscript in his left hand, flanked by Maitreya in a rainbow circle, with Chakrasamvara in the upper left corner and Khedrup Sanggyue in the upper right, with Vaishravana on his snow lion at the lower left and the red Begtse to the lower right. The First Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662), was the most important and most powerful Gelug teacher of his time, and he also was the tutor of the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682). 69.5 x 40.6 cm b) Ensapa Lobsang Dondrup Seated on a noble red cushion, wearing precious monastic robes and a pandita hat, with his right hand pointing downwards to a follower and his left hand holding a string of prayer beads. The upper register with Chokyi Dorje in a rainbow circle to the left and Mahachakra Vajrapani to the right. Yama Dharmaraja is depicted in the lower right corner, all within a mountainous landscape. Ensapa Lobsang Dondrup (1505-1566) was posthumously given the title of Panchen Lama around 1641, after his recognized reincarnation, Lobzang Chokyi (1570-1662) was nominated as Panchen Lama by the Fifth Dalai Lama. c) Dorje Pal Seated on a cushion atop a tiger skin, holding a kila in his right hand and extending a skull cup towards a wrathful deity with his left, dressed in voluminous robes and a pointed cap, with a seated lama holding a book at upper right, Rakta Yamari and Vajra Vetali standing on a buffalo at upper left, three monks seated at lower left, and Mahakala Gonpo Legpen at lower right, all within a mountainous landscape. Yungdron Dorje Pal (1284-1365), principle disciple of the great Sakya master Buton Rinchen Drub, and according to Sakya tradition one of the previous incarnations of the Panchen Lamas. 70 x 40.7 cm d) Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen Seated in the centre on an elaborate dragon throne, debating with the naked Indian Shivaite ascetic Harinanda squating to the lower right, with Chaturmukha Mahakala to the left, with Maitreya as an ascetic standing in front of the Tushita palace to the upper left, and with Manjushri and Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen in clouds above, all within a mountainous landscape. Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsan (1182-1251) is perhaps the most important master of the Sakyapa school. Following a visit to China, he became viceroy of Tibet in 1249. According to Sakya tradition he is one of the previous incarnations of the Panchen Lamas. 70.5 x 42.5 cm e) Abhayakaragupta The scholar wearing red and gold brocade robes and a red Pandita usha with a snake wrapped around him, sitting on a cushion and receiving a kneeling worshipper, with Red Vajrayogini and Ratnasambhava at top and Panjara Mahakala at lower right. Abhayakaragupta was an Indian Buddhist monk, scholar and tantric master. He was born in Eastern India, and is thought to have flourished in the late 11th/early 12th century, and died in 1125. According to Sakya tradition he is one of the previous incarnations of the Panchen Lamas. 70 x 41.5 cm f) Bhavaviveka Seated on a tiger skin over a magnificent red cushion, discussing with a Hindu from the Digambara school seated to his left, while two monks shave the head of an already converted Hindu, with the spiritual mentor Nagarjuna at upper left, Chakrasamvara at upper right and Mahakala at lower right. Bhavaviveka was a famous Indian scholar who probably lived in the 6th century in Northern India, and is according to Sakya tradition one of the previous incarnations of the Panchen Lamas. 70 x 42 cm
Provenance Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Notes VAT: Margin scheme
