TIBET, 19TH CENTURY

Details

An Unusual Thangka of Two Sakya Nuns
Tibet, 19th Century
The two figures painted with delicate features within a dark aureole, wearing patchwork robes, standing on a lotus and pedestal with offerings before them, surrounded by smaller depictions of 11-headed Avalokiteshvara, the Medicine Buddha, Green Tara and White Tara, and attended by a monk at lower right; with abraided inscription below lotus jetsunma; the reverse consecrated and bearing a 9-line dedicatory inscription to Sangye Kunga Zangpo
16 x 11 3/8 in. (40.6 x 28.9 cm.)

Lot Essay

It is very unusual to depict nuns in thangkas. The two in this thangka are likely members of the important Khon family, consisting of the descendants of Sakya Pandita and Chogyal Phagpa. In the Khon family there were many famous nuns who were considered equal to the men and given the most important teachings and instructions from the Hevajra, Chakrasamvara, Vajrajogini, Kalachakra Tantras. In the 19th century, the most famous of these nuns was Jetsunma Tamdrin Wangmo, who traveled extensively across Tibet and was a teacher to many great lamas of all the schools. Today, the sister of Sakya Trizin (the highest lama in the Sakya school) also teaches the highest forms of tantric practice. Her title and name are Jetsunma Chimey Drolkar of the Drolma Palace of the Khon family of Sakya.

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