Auction Cheffins The Alain Rouvere Collection | ETHNOFLORENCE INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS

ETHNOFLORENCE

INDIAN AND HIMALAYAN

FOLK AND TRIBAL ARTS

December 10, 2021

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Museo di Antropologia e Etnologia of Florence Collezione Oggetti Provenienti dal Tibet

तिब्बत से वस्तुओं का संग्रह

FIRENZE

A Journey, a Narration Through Images and some bibliographic and iconographic additions

Thanka – ཐང་ཀ་

it is a silk banner in the center of which there is a painting of a religious object painted on canvas. It is held in tension by a stick placed at the lower end around which it is rolled up to keep it or to transport it. It is the most precious ritual object of the Lamaist cult; it can be found hanging on the walls and pillars of temples or in domestic chapels where cup-shaped lamps containing butter are always hanging on.

The Rus-Rgyan

or “ornament made of bone” is a ritual object, an apron composed of carved fragments of human bones belonging to saints, of which the dancer adorns himself in particular rites with an exorcistic character.

Fret-worked

Brass Breastplates

, to be applied to female garments: in the center the monogram of fortune, one of the eight glorious emblems, which, according to tradition, were offered by the celestial geniuses to the Buddha after his enlightenment.

Bronze cymbals

for sacred music, in the lamaist ritual there are, in addition to the typical trumpets of temples up to six meters long, various percussion instruments such as drums and cymbals that have their role in exorcistic dances or in the representation of mysteries.

Ritual whelk, the sound of the

great sacred shell

calls the monks and novices of the temple to prayer and religious service.

Thod-kpa

The Thod-kpa is a cup for exorcism rituals, consisting of a human skull covered with silver inside, silver lid with molded decoration, copper support with external gilding.

T’un-rva exorciser’s horn

(on the right)

used to store charmed seeds – described by Waddel Laurence Austin in BUDDISM OF TIBET or LAMAISM (1895) – page 488 (Chapter – Sorcery and Necromancy)

Photo Credit of https://www.himalayanart.org/ for the picture in which are reproduced the two T’un-rva(s) https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=4187

The recurring iconography of a scorpion in these horns – present also in the lot 165 – similarly to the meaning of the scorpion charm –

Extract from Lamaism-In-Sikhim by Waddel – 1894 see also in https://www.himalayanart.org/items/68932

could mean additional protection against the injury by demons

Glesh-Shing

(on the left) sacred book cover in gilded wood; Buddha images are carved into it.

Kangling – རྐང་གླིང་།

Kang – ling

Leg – Flute

sacred trumpet made from a human femur

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Rlung rta

རླུང་རྟ་

Wind Horse or Lungta

Prayer Flag Print Blocks

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Gau

A prayer box or small container worn as jewellery containing an amulet.

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Recent Auction

CHEFFINS

The Fine Sale

December

8th / 9th 2021

THE ALAIN ROUVERE COLLECTION

https://www.cheffins.co.uk/fine-art/catalogue-view,the-fine-sale_206.htm

The auction house offers a selection of objects from Alain Rouvere’s collection, including a group of masks.

(lots 164 – 391)

Two ancient Tibetan masks are the most notable pieces offered.

On the Left A rare and important carved wood mask of Krodha, Southern Tibet, carbon dated AD1430-AD1620, the open mouthed fierce deity wearing a crown of skulls with traces of black lacquer, and glossy black patina throughout, 39cm high Provenance:
Acquired circa 1984, Kathmandu Footnote: Radio carbon dating measurement report for this mask dated 01.03.2016 and calibrated AD 1441 to AD 1620. On the Right: A rare and important carved wood mask of Krodha, Southern Tibet, the open mouthed fierce deity wearing a crown of six skulls centred with a bird’s head with traces of black lacquer, and glossy black patina throughout, 52.3cm high Provenance:
Acquired circa 1984, Kathmandu Footnote: This mask, by material technique and colour/patina, is almost certainly from the same artisan workshop as the previous lot. Condition report: Very good throughout, wear commensurate with the great age of this exceptional piece © Photo Credit of Cheffins

The crowned mask of Kali from lot 237 is particularly heavily encrusted with thick layers of red puja tika pigment. Certainly a piece of great scenographic effect, actually rare if not unique.

https://www.cheffins.co.uk/fine-art/lot-view,a-rare-carved-wood-head-of-kali-terai-district-southern-nepal-probably-18th_80872.htm

A rare carved wood head of Kali, Terai District, Southern Nepal, probably 18th century

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Correlated Pages

General link of the Florentine Museum pages published in Ethnoflorence

Follow this link https://ethnoflorence.wordpress.com/category/collection-museo-nazionale-di-etnologia-e-antropologia-firenze/

Alti Sentieri d’Asia vita, cultura e miti dei Popoli dell’Hindu Kush Nuovi Allestimenti al Museo di Antropologia di Firenze

Follow this Link https://ethnoflorence.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/alti-sentieri-dasia-vita-cultura-e-miti-dei-popoli-dellhindu-kush/

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Fosco Maraini

Sapporo: I Giorni Dell’Undicesimo Viale Gli Ainu Di Hokkaido Nelle Fotografie Di Fosco Maraini

Follow this Link https://ethnoflorence.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/fosco-maraini-sapporo-i-giorni-dellundicesimo-viale-gli-ainu-di-hokkaido-nelle-fotografie-di-fosco-maraini/

Fosco Maraini

(15 November 1912 Florence Italy– 8 June 2004 Florence)

was an Italian Photographer, Anthropologist, Ethnologist, Writer, Mountaineer and Academic

Selected Bibliography

1939

DREN – GIONG

Appunti d’un viaggio nell’Imalaia

«Desidero avvertire i lettori che non ho la minima pretesa di fare della scienza; io vorrei semplicemente comunicare, in qualche modo, le emozioni vissute da un innamorato della natura nel percorrere alcune valli ricche di sorprendenti bellezze, in quel Sikkim, tra l’Imàlaia e l’India, che i tibetani chiamano appunto Dren-giong: il paese dei frutti» – Fosco Maraini

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«I wish to warn readers that I have not the slightest claim to make of science; I would simply like to communicate, in some way, the emotions experienced by a lover of nature while traveling through some valleys rich in surprising beauties, in that Sikkim, between Imàlaia and India, which the Tibetans call Dren-giong: the country of fruits »- Fosco Maraini

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«Je tiens à avertir les lecteurs que je n’ai pas la moindre prétention à faire de la science; Je voudrais simplement communiquer, en quelque sorte, les émotions vécues par un amoureux de la nature en parcourant des vallées riches en beautés surprenantes, dans ce Sikkim, entre Imàlaia et l’Inde, que les Tibétains appellent Dren-giong : le pays des fruits »- Fosco Maraini

Vallechi

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1951

Segreto Tibet

Presentazione di Bernard Berenson – Sessanta Tavole – Fuori Testo da Fotografie dell’Autore

Leonardo da Vinci Editrice

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1957

Ore Giapponesi