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Babin A. Samples of Himalayan Painting and Graphics of the Himalayan Region in the Collection of I. P. Minayev (MAE RAS)

Aleksandr Babin
National Research University Higher School of Economics
Moscow, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0000-0003-3367-1874
E-mail: babin.edu@gmail.com

 

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ABSTRACT. World-famous Russian scholar Ivan P. Minayev, who stood at the origins of the Russian Indological school, brought from his travels in South and Southeast Asia a number of objects of material culture. This article examines paintings and graphic works from the Himalayan region in his ethnographic collection now stored in MAE RAS. All of them, with one exception, are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The article clarifies the attribution and place of origin of the bulk of these items. In the course of the study of the collection, objects acquired by Minayev in Nepal and India were identified and described, including an interesting example of Kumaoni folk painting called patta. The article also examines two thangkas, one illustrating the story of the marriage of the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo, the other depicting Padmasambhava and scenes from the Tibetan version of the Vessantara Jataka. They were found to have been acquired in Darjeeling and are associated with the tradition of wandering storytellers called buchen or lama manipa. This tradition was widespread in Tibet, but by now it has survived mainly in the Himalayas. These thangkas seem to be quite rare, if not unique samples in Russian collections.

 

KEYWORDS: Ivan P. Minayev, ethnographic collection, MAE RAS, Nepal, Kumaon, Darjeeling, Songtsen Gampo, lama manipa

 

FOR CITATION: Babin A. Samples of Himalayan Painting and Graphics of the Himalayan Region in the Collection of I. P. Minayev (MAE RAS). Kunstkamera. 2025. 1 (27): 18–34. (In Russian). DOI: 10.31250/2618-8619-2025-1(27)-18-34

 

DOI 10.31250/2618-8619-2025-1(27)-18-34
UDC 069.5:39(541.35)

 

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