Beschreibung:

Lot details China, 1736-1795. Gold and distemper on cloth. The elderly lama is seated with legs crossed on cushions resting on the platform of a throne with offerings placed before him, his right hand raised in karana mudra and holding a vajra, the left lowered in the same gesture and holding a ghanta. He is wearing loose-fitting monastic robes and a tall yellow pointed cap, characteristic of the Gelugpa sect. Above the lama is a smaller image of a high pontiff, probably Changkya Rölpé Dorjé, holding a vase and lotus stems coming to full bloom at the shoulders and wearing a folded hat, which is also associated with portraits of the Panchen Lama. All within a rich verdant landscape with trees, mountains, and waterfalls amid thick swirling clouds. Provenance: Belgian trade. Condition: Extensive wear, soiling, staining, creasing, minor losses, small tears. The silk brocade mounting faded. Overall fair condition. Dimensions: Image size 39 x 27.5 cm, Size incl. frame 54 x 41 cm Expert’s note: The small upper figure in the present thangka probably depicts Changkya Rölpé Dorjé, the preceptor of the Qianlong Emperor, and is one of a small group of works that consistently portray the idiosyncratic physiognomy of this eminent figure, with a fine mustache, sparse goatee, and a particularly notable strabismus of the left eye. Changkya Rölpé Dorjé (1717-1786) was born in Amdo and educated at the court of the Yongzheng Emperor where he formed a strong relationship with his fellow student Hongli, the future Qianlong Emperor. Promoted to state preceptor by the new emperor, he became one of the most important and influential figures at the Qianlong court, in both religious and diplomatic affairs. He was recognized as the incarnate Changkya Khutukhtu, the Mongolian lineage of Buddhist masters. He presided over complex Buddhist state rituals, revitalized ancient Buddhist traditions and promoted revised teaching systems and Buddhist iconographic programs. He compiled the renowned illustrated pantheon of Three Hundred and Sixty Icons, and was responsible for the translation of important Buddhist texts into Mongolian. Under the auspices of the emperor, Changkya Rölpé Dorjé was responsible for the prodigious production of almost all Imperial Buddhist works of art seen in the eighteenth century, and is regarded as a visionary character that greatly contributed to the legacy of the Qianlong reign. Literature comparison: Compare a related portrait in the Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde in Munich, published by Andreas Lommel, Kunst des Buddhismus, München, 1974, p. 161, pl. 87. Compare a related thangka of a Gelugpa lama, dated to the first half of the 19th century, in the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, accession number EA1983.26. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s Paris, 18 December 2012, lot 30 Price: EUR 228,750 or approx. EUR 275,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: Tangka impérial de Changkya Hutuktu Rölpé Dorjé (1717-1786) détrempe sur tissu Chine, dynastie Qing, époque Qianlong (1736-1795) Expert remark: Compare the related depiction of Rolpai Dorje with similar fine mustache, sparse goatee, and faint strabismus of the left eye. Compare the related manner of painting with similar robes, pointed cap, lotus blossoms, and clouds. Note that this is an Imperial thangka of slightly larger size (48.4 x 33 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 7 November 2014, lot 485 Price: GBP 22,500 or approx. EUR 33,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A thangka probably depicting the Changkya Hutuktu Rolpai Dorje (1717-1786), China, Qianlong period Expert remark: Compare the related manner of painting with similar robes, folded cap, lotus blossoms, and clouds. Note this thangka probably depicts a young Changkya Rölpé Dorjé and is of slightly larger size (55.3 x 38.1 cm). 乾隆喇嘛與章嘉·若必多吉唐卡 中國，1736-1795年，布面膠彩描金。畫面中央一位年邁的喇嘛盤腿墊子上，面前有供品，