Tibetan Painted Scrolls - I and II

Giuseppe Tucci

Description

"Tibetan Painted Scrolls” by Giuseppe Tucci, published in two volumes with a separate folio of plates, is a monumental scholarly work that remains one of the most comprehensive studies ever produced on Tibetan thangka painting. First released in 1949, the volumes offer an in-depth exploration of the artistic, religious, and historical significance of Tibetan scroll paintings, many of which Tucci encountered and documented during his expeditions to Tibet in the 1930s and 1940s. Volume I serves as a sweeping survey of Tibetan Buddhist culture and the visual traditions that arose from it. Tucci discusses the philosophical underpinnings of Vajrayāna Buddhism and how these ideas manifest in art. He delves into topics such as iconometric proportions, the symbolic meanings of colors and gestures, and the ritualistic role thangkas play in Tibetan monastic life. This volume also provides essential historical background, describing major monasteries, schools of painting, and stylistic developments across centuries. Volume II continues with an exhaustive iconographic catalogue of nearly 200 thangkas, offering detailed descriptions, translations of inscriptions, and contextual analysis. Tucci draws connections between the paintings and their textual sources, particularly emphasizing depictions of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, lineage masters, wrathful deities, and scenes from the Jātaka tales. His analysis reflects both his linguistic mastery and his deep engagement with Buddhist thought, making the work not only a visual study but also a textual and philosophical one. --- COMPARISON: --- 1. Sold for $6,250 at Christie's Auction: Himalayan, Indian and South East Asian Art 2017 - https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6061755 2. Another set of this publication from the Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth sold at Christie's New York on 21 March 2015 for $25,000 (lot 1636).