A THANGKA DEPICTING SIPAI GYALMO TIBET, 19TH CENTURY |

with six arms and three faces, the blue wrathful goddess riding a mule across a sea of blood surrounded by manifestations in a mountainous landscape, with Machen Pomra riding a snow lion below, Tsen Apse to the left and Midu riding an otter to the right, Kunzang Gyalwa Dupa flanked by multi-armed meditation deities and their consorts above Himalayan Art Resources item no. 18371.

West Coast Collection.
Sotheby's New York, 21 September 2001, lot 46.

Good condition overall. Minor creases and losses and accretion throughout. Water damage to the figure riding a white horse to the left of the sea of blood and to the two top figures in upper left with resulting white bloom extending into the red and yellow border to the left and in the upper left register. Water staining to the lower register. No obvious restoration.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Sipai Gyalma, ‘Queen of the Created World’, is the principal Bon Protector deity. It is thought that she was originally a demonic being and was subdued into the service of Bon by Tagla Membar. The cult of the goddess is said to have been introduced as Protector of Bon by Shenchen Luga (996-1035), see Per Kvaerne, The Bon Religion of Tibet: The Iconography of a Living Tradition, London, 1995, p. 108. The style of the thangka is similar to the Tagla Membar in the collection (see lot 948) including the painted red and yellow borders, suggesting a similar provenance, possibly Amdo.