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Lot Essay
The Taklung monastery was founded in 1180 by Taklung Thangpa Chenpo (also known as Tashipel, 1142-1210), depicted in the lower left register, succeeded in 1210 by his nephew Kuyelwa depicted on the left, in turn succeeded in 1236 by his nephew Sangye Yarjön, with their names inscribed on the reverse. The monastery was a powerful political force and Sangye Yarjön cultivated a close relationship with the Sakya hierarch Phakpa, who in turn was well connected to the Mongol court. It is recorded that Kubilai Khan offered financial support for building projects and a commission for a gold Buddha at Taklung, cf. J. Singer, Taklung Painting, p. 56, in: J. Singer and P. Denwood, Tibetan Art. Towards a Definition of Style, 1997, p. 52-67.
The composition of Taklung thangkas dating from the 12th to 14th centuries adheres to a defined standard with the painting arranged in distinct sections and registers around a large central image. Yet individual treatment of image elements allow for fairly accurate dating, with the mountain staves for example becoming more restrained yet the makaras on the throneback more vigorously throwing back their trunks towards the last quarter of the 13th century.
Compare to a smaller double portrait of Kuyelwa and Sangye Yarjön in J. Singer, 'Taklung Painting,' op. cit., fig. 38, p. 56; a portrait of the third abbot, Sangye Yarjön, in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. John Gilmore Ford, in P. Pal, Tibet. Tradition and Change, 1998, pl. 25, p. 50f; and in the Kronos Collections, S. Kossak and J.C.Singer, Sacred Visions, 1998, cat. no. 19; and a portrait of the fourth abbot, Önpo Lama Rimpoche, in the Musée Guimet, cf. G. Béguin, Les Peintures du Bouddhisme Tibétain, 1995, cat. no. 416, p. 482ff.
The composition of Taklung thangkas dating from the 12th to 14th centuries adheres to a defined standard with the painting arranged in distinct sections and registers around a large central image. Yet individual treatment of image elements allow for fairly accurate dating, with the mountain staves for example becoming more restrained yet the makaras on the throneback more vigorously throwing back their trunks towards the last quarter of the 13th century.
Compare to a smaller double portrait of Kuyelwa and Sangye Yarjön in J. Singer, 'Taklung Painting,' op. cit., fig. 38, p. 56; a portrait of the third abbot, Sangye Yarjön, in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. John Gilmore Ford, in P. Pal, Tibet. Tradition and Change, 1998, pl. 25, p. 50f; and in the Kronos Collections, S. Kossak and J.C.Singer, Sacred Visions, 1998, cat. no. 19; and a portrait of the fourth abbot, Önpo Lama Rimpoche, in the Musée Guimet, cf. G. Béguin, Les Peintures du Bouddhisme Tibétain, 1995, cat. no. 416, p. 482ff.