A THANGKA OF MANING MAHAKALA TIBET, 18TH CENTURY Distemper on cloth; mounted with silks. Himalayan Art Resources item no. 207033 Image: 68.5 x 51 cm (27 x 20 1/8 in.) With silks: 145 x 90 cm (57 x 35 3/8 in.) Footnotes: 西藏 十八世紀 貢布瑪寧大黑天唐卡 Provenance John and Karina Stewart Collection, since 2016 Maning Mahakala, a distinct form of Mahakala and a principal protector of the Nyingma tradition, dominates the composition, his dark-blue, three-eyed form enveloped by red-orange flames and billowing black smoke. Crowned with five skulls and richly robed, he holds a human heart before his chest and raises a long spear diagonally across his body, while trampling prostrate figures. The upper register depicts Pema Lingpa at left, Padmasambhava at center, and Kunzang Nyima at right, each seated within a halo amid banks of clouds. Surrounding Mahakala are the Ten Guardians of the Directions, represented as wrathful, armored figures riding horses and other animal mounts across the mountainous landscape. The lower register presents additional Nyingma protective deities, centered on Shri Devi, with mounted figures including Dorje Legpa and other Dharmapalas. Blue-green rocky peaks, turbulent waters, scrolling clouds and densely patterned textiles create the richly articulated setting characteristic of 18th-century Tibetan painting. See an 18th-century thangka in the Rubin Museum of Art, New York (P1996.12.4). For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing