Himalayan Art Resources

Subject: Gesar - Artworks Chronology

Gesar Artworks Chronology | Gesar Main Page | Gesar Outline Page | Gesar Number Sets | Gesar Art Topics Glossary

The various works of art depicting Ling Gesar and related topics can be divided between two mediums (paintings and sculpture) and four subjects solely based on the works that have been identified in museum and private collections thus far.

The Four Gesar Art Subjects:
[1] Gesar Life Story
[2] Gesar & the Thirty Warriors
[3] Gesar Norbu Dradul
[4] Gesar Dorje Tsegyal

The works documented are primarily from the time period prior to 1960. In the future, there will of course be many more early paintings, sculpture and murals identified as the field of Himalayan and Tibetan art develops with time and interest.

1. Gesar Life-story Painting Sets:
- Set #1 Trehor Composition (1 painting) mid 18th century (?)
- Set #2 Guimet Musee (2 paintings) late 19th century
- Set #3 Sichuan Provincial Mus. (11 paintings) late 19th century

2. Gesar & the Thirty Warriors Painting Sets:
- Set #1, Private Collection (2 paintings) early 20th century (15th Karmapa Commission)
- Set #2, Rubin Museum (1 painting) early to mid 20th century

3. Gesar Norbu Dradul Paintings:
- HAR #55031 Trehor Painting, 18th century (?)
- HAR #90715 Tibet House, NY, 19th century
- HAR #55019 Sichuan Prov. Mus., late 19th
- HAR #______ Guimet Musee, late 19th
- HAR #79418 Dege Parkhang, carving circa 1900 (printing 2000)
- HAR #87624 Dege Parkhang, carving circa 1900 (printing 2000)
- HAR #87625 Dege Parkhang, carving circa 1900 (printing 2000)
- HAR #_____ (wall murals) South-eastern Tibet, circa 1900
- HAR #_____ Private Chengdu, early 20th
- HAR #_____ Sichuan University Mus., early 20th
- HAR #73433 Dzongsar Monastery, early 20th
- HAR #55029 (Sichuan Publication), early 20th
- HAR #57091 Sikkim, circa 1970
- HAR #77176 (Wisdom Calendar), circa 1970
- HAR #48966 Lingtsang, Manduwalla, circa 1980
- HAR #48967 Lingtsang, Manduwalla, circa 1980
- HAR #48968 Lingtsang, Manduwalla, circa 1980
- HAR #47436 Dzongsar Institute, circa 2000

4. Gesar Dorje Tsegyal:
- HAR #60626 Private Collection, early to mid 20th century
- HAR #60625 Chinese Cultural Relics, early to mid 20th century (sculpture)
- HAR #_____ Private Collection, early to mid 20th century (sculpture)
- HAR #60615 Private Collection, late 20th century

Jeff Watt, 11-2011