Situ Panchen (1700–1774) was both a hierarch of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism and an important patron and artist, credited with reviving the court style of the Karmapas known as the Encampment style (Gardri), which quickly became popular in his native Kham Province in southeastern Tibet. This style is characterized by figures based on Indian aesthetic models of proportion placed in open, airy blue-green landscapes of Chinese inspiration that often suggest a sense of depth and receding space.As Situ worked directly with artists, the painters of this work would have known him well enough to create an accurate likeness. One of Situ’s main artistic disciples in his later years, Karsho Karma Tashi, probably designed and painted the originals for this and a few other paintings in a famous set depicting the masters of the combined lineages. The physical appearance of Situ Panchen in this painting tends to support a dating to the late 1750s or later. The long-life goddess White Tara (upper left), with whom Situ had a special relationship, was also included as a wish for the aged Situ Panchen’s continued longevity. Notice White Tara’s hair bun is off to one side (over her left ear), a characteristic of Situ’s depictions of this goddess.

Artwork Details

Title
Situ Panchen (1700-1774); From a Palpung set of Masters of the Combined Kagyu Lineages
Dimensions
69 1/4 × 36 × 1 1/2 in.
Medium
Pigments on cloth
Origin
Kham Province, Eastern Tibet
Classification(s)
paintings scroll painting
Date
late 18th century, ca. 1760s
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Purchased from the Collection of Navin Kumar, New York
Object number
C2003.29.2
Bibliography
Patron and Painter: Situ Panchen and the Revival of the Encampment Style
HAR Number
65279
Published references
* Jackson, David P. The Place of Provenance: Regional Styles in Tibetan Painting. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2012. Fig. 5.2. Pp. 90-91, 102* Jackson, David P. Patron and Painter: Situ Panchen and the Revival of the Encampment Style. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2009. Fig. 1.6, 2.4, 2.12, 9.32b; Cover image and jacket; Pp. 7, 22, 30, 219, 258, 260* Van Alphen, J. Collection Highlights: Rubin Museum of Art. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2014. Pp. 34-35* Debreczeny, Karl. "Lama, Patron, Artist: The Great Situ Panchen" Arts of Asia 40, no. 2 (2010). Fig. 1, pp. 82.* Kang, Gesang Yixi. Zang chuan Gamagazi hua pai tang ka yi shu (karma sgar bris lugs kyi thang ka sgyu rtsal). Chengdu Shi: Sichuan mei shu chu ban she, 2012. Xia juan: p. 268* Kang, Gesang Yixi. Gama Gazi huapai tangka (karma sgar bris lugs kyi thang ga). Beijing: Wenu chubanshe, 2015: p. 103* Debreczeny, Karl. The Black Hat Eccentric: Artistic Visions of the Tenth Karmapa. New York: The Rubin Museum of Art, 2012. Fig. 9.11, pp. 263-265, fn. 310.* Hofer, Theresia. Bodies in Balance: The Art of Tibetan Medicine. Seattle: University of Washington Press; New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2014. Fig. 9.11, p. 187

Situ Panchen: Himalayan Art Up CloseSitu Panchen: Himalayan Art Up Close

Rubin Museum senior curator Dr. Karl Debreczeny and Smarthistory’s Dr. Steven Zucker look at a painting of one of the great scholars and polymaths of the 18th century, Situ Panchen. As leader of the Karma Kagyu school of Buddhism at a time of its near eclipse, Situ Panchen revitalized the arts of southeastern Tibet and wrote widely about the arts.

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Transmission

Concepts

The passing down of authentic Buddhist teachings from a teacher to a disciple or student, often in the form of a text in a ritualistic context.

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Lineage

Concepts

The transmission of teachings from one generation to the next, from teacher to student, traced all the way back to the Buddha without interruption. A complete lineage is essential in Tantric Buddhist practices as it makes the blessings of the teaching more powerful.

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Legendary and Historical Humans

Figure Type

Himalayan art includes portraits of legendary and historical humans, including accomplished religious teachers (lamas), the Buddha’s original disciples (arhats), and spiritually accomplished tantric masters (mahasiddhas).

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Tibetan Regions

Region

Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.

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