Painting Series: Darge Monastery
Painting Styles & TraditionsThese two compositions are clearly from the same atelier or workshop. On the reverse of the Amitayus painting there is an English language notation stating the work was acquired at Darge Monastery in Amdo, East Tibet. This however is not evidence that the work originated at that location. Paintings can be a commodity or used for gift exchange across the Himalayan regions, China and Mongolia. The most famous monastery bearing the name Dargye, a Gelug establishment, is in Kham province (Garze).
The main subject of the Amitayus painting is the longevity practice according to the tradition of Rechungpa known as the Rechung Nyan Gyu. The painting appears to be Drigung Kagyu in origin evidenced by the red hat of the upper left figure along with the presence of the personification of wisdom Prajnaparamita at the lower right side.
Lineage of Teachers: Amitayus, Siddharajnyi, Drubchen Tipupa, Rechungpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, Pagmodrubpa, etc.
The general line work and compositional style of the two works follows more of a mural painting style rather than that of a typical scrollwork (tangka) painting.
(See a Sakya topic in a similar compositional style to the open landscape of the Amitayus).
Jeff Watt 7-2022
