A thangka of Kedrub Geleg Pal ZangpoTibet, circa 1800
Distemper on cloth; inscribed in Tibetan at the bottom, unmounted. 71.5cm (28 1/4in) x 44cm (7 1/4in)注脚The Property of a Lady

Provenance: Ludwik Rajchman (1881-1965), great-grandfather of the present owner, and by descent through the family

Kedrub Geleg Pal Zangpo (1385-1438) was one of Tsongkapa's most devoted disciples. Upon his teacher's death, he returned to Tsang, where he became an abbot, founded several monasteries, and ultimately became the third man to occupy the throne of Ganden after Tsongkapa and Gyaltsab Je. It is on his visions that the Five Forms of Tsongkhapa are based. He is regarded as a pre-incarnation in the line of Panchen Lamas; the present thangka is likely to have been part of a set illustrating the incarnations of the Panchen Lama.

Here Kedrub, is depicted having his visions. He is at the same time to the middle left, shown slumping in sadness over at table at the thought of the suffering of sentient beings lost in the ocean of worldly existence, whilst thinking of his teacher who instantly appears in the sky above. At the same time he is also to the middle right, in a devoted kneeling posture, looking up at the vision of his master and presenting a symbolic mandala offering of the universe constructed of precious substances. At the top right of the composition is Sahaja Heruka Vajrabhairava, with Shadbhuja Mahakala, emanation of Avalokiteshvara, at the bottom left.

For similar thangkas depicting the same subject, see Himalayan Art Resources item 23391; and Christie's, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art,
New York, 18 March 2015, lot 4030.