In March, Bonhams will showcase several works by Richard C. Blum and Senator Dianne Feinstein, who own collections of Himalayan sculpture and art. nearly 30 years, the famous couple amassed a collection of 42 works from Tibet, Nepal, and Greater China that are now for sale for nearly $3 million. These pieces reflect the variety and depth of their taste, which spans 800 years. On March 20, as part of Asia Week New York, Bonhams New York will host an auction of the Richard C. Blum and Senator Dianne Feinstein Collection of Himalayan Art.
Rich Blum (1935–2022) and Dianne Feinstein (1933–2023), a married couple from San Francisco, are well-known for their distinguished political and financial professions. They were wed in 1980. From 1992 until her death in 2023, American politician Dianne Feinstein served as a senator and made history as San Francisco’s first female mayor. An American private equity investor, Blum also served as president and chairman of Blum Capital. In 1981, he established the American Himalayan Foundation and in 1986, he established the Blum Centre for Developing Economies at the University of California, Berkeley. He has been a lifelong supporter of human rights in the Himalayas. On top of that, he was a World Conference on Religion and Peace co-chairman. The couple’s charity and strong ties to the Tibetan diaspora were highly regarded, and this was especially true while they were putting together their collection. Because of their regional contacts, they were able to purchase a priceless collection of thangkas from the brother of the 14th Dalai Lama, which are unparalleled in quality and availability. The collection mostly included works of art from the 13th to the 19th century that drew inspiration from the vibrant painting traditions of the Himalayas, with the exception of a few of sculptures. Deities, both benign and malevolent, and prominent historical characters from the several Tibetan Buddhist traditions were depicted.
“The Richard C. Blum and Senator Dianne Feinstein Collection of Himalayan Art is a true testament to the couple’s discerning eye and attention to detail when adding to their collection for over 30 years. The collection was integral to their lives, present almost without exception in every room of their homes and offices. We are honored to be entrusted with bringing it to auction,” said Edward Wilkinson, Bonhams’ Global Head of Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art.
Some of the collection’s standout features are:
• A portrait thangka of a prominent Buddhist teacher from the late 12th or early 13th century, with an estimated value of $400,000 to $600,000. One of the most monumental and significant early lama portraits in private possession, this thangka originates from the Kadampa school.
• An illustrious image of Lowo Khenchen Sonam Lundrup from the 16th century, including copper inlay and copper alloy, is said to be worth between $400,000 and 600,000. An enormous and exquisitely cast likeness of the famous abbot of Mustang, a Buddhist citadel in what is now Nepal. Both the bronze and the Maitreya sculpture in the Cleveland Museum of Art are thought to have originated from the same workshop; they are quite similar.
• A 1716 paubha from a Vaishnavite temple in Nepal, with an estimated value of $300,000 to $500,000. Acquired from the illustrious Jucker Collection, this Nepalese paubha is one of the biggest and most stunning examples.
• A thangka from the Vajrapani era (1736–1795) in Chengde, China, valued between $80,000 and $120,000. One of a significant group, perhaps commissioned by the imperial court for the Xumifusho Temple in Chengde, Western China. Only seven paintings from this collection are known to exist. There is another one at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum.
An estimated $60,000 to $80,000 for a thangka from Akshobya, Tibet, dating back to the 14th century. Among the Five Tathagatas, or Presiding Buddhas, this priceless artwork dates back to the early days of Tibetan art and is in very good shape considering its age.
Image Courtesy : Bonhams
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