In Tibetan Buddhism, White Tara is revered as the female Buddha of longevity. Fully enlightened, Tara vowed as a young bodhisattva to always manifest in the form of a female bodhisattva and goddess to aid all beings, particularly protecting them from the eight fears. In her white form, she specifically grants longevity. Practised in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Tara is second in popularity only to Avalokiteshvara. Her practices are prevalent in all classes of tantra, both Nyingma and Sarma traditions.
This painting is executed in the Palpung style, which originated in the Palpung Monastery in the 18^th century in Dege area of eastern Tibet. Falling under the late Karma Gar-ri style, the Palpung style features wild open landscapes, sparse trees and vegetation, a significant focus on the large central figure and minimal rendering of secondary figures. The theme of these Palpung paintings is mainly figurative art, depicting teachers, deities and Buddha life stories. Likely derived from the Khyenri style, known for its bright palette and attention to small details, the Palpung style maintains a unique balance between pastel and bold colours while employing minimalism in narrative and portrait depictions.
These characteristics are evident in the painting in this lot. Apart from the notable Palpung attributes, what is special about this lot is the blend with a discernible Chinese style, particularly in the depiction of facial features, attire and natural elements. Dressed in a flowing drapery reminiscent of mythological deities, the Tara holds a bottle in the her left hand and a long-stemmed flower in her right hand, resembling the classic depiction of Kuan Yin. The flowers and the cloud swirls in the background hint at a Chinese influence, possibly due to the area’s geographical proximity to China.
A pair of Palpung-style Tara paintings dated to the 18^th century was recently sold at Christie’s New York on 21 September 2022, lots 422 and 423, for $113,400 and $144,900.