Thangka of Eleven Face Avalokiteshvara, 18th Century

A paint on cloth thangka of Avalokiteshvara as a universal deity with eleven faces and one thousand arms dating from the 18th century. He stands upright on a lotus pedestal, and he holds in his foremost arms a jug, a bow and arrow, a lotus, prayer beads, and a dharma wheel. His elaborate jewelry stands out against his white skin, and the rest of his thousand arms fan out around him like a glowing mandorla. The stack of faces consist of several colors, with the top two heads being those of Mahakala and Amitabha Buddha. Below the lotus pedestal are various symbols including jewels. The background teems with lotuses and clouds. The thangka is mounted on a cloth backing.

Dimensions are: 18 1/2 inches tall X 13 inches wide, 47 cm X 33 cm. All measurements are approximate.

Condition: There is some creasing including some loss to the surface with areas of overpainting. The back is unexamined. A reminder that all lots are sold as-is. We have sought to record the changes in the condition of this piece after its initial manufacture as diligently as possible; however, as stated in our terms, condition reports are statements of opinion and not representations or warranties. Oakridge Auction Gallery bears no responsibility for any error or omission.

Provenance: From Mrs. Fullerton in New Jersey. Her father, Maurice Etangs, was chief of police in Tianjin, China and lived there from 1935 to 1945. This lot was collected during that time.

High resolution photos can be found here.