Padma Sambhava, from a four-part set of thangkas

Object Details

• Provenance

  ?-ca. 1964

  Tsarong family, Lhasa, Tibet [1]

  ca. 1964-between 1965 and 1969

  Rudi Oriental Arts (active late 1950s-ca. 1980s), New York, NY, purchased from Dundul Namgyal ‘George’ Tsarong (1920-2011) [2]

  Between 1965 and 1969-at least 1994

  Phillip J. Rudko, purchased from Rudi Oriental Arts in New York, NY [3]

  At least 1994-2013

  Alice S. Kandell, method of acquisition unknown from Phillip J. Rudko in New York, NY [4]

  From 2013

  National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Alice S. Kandell [5]

  Notes:

  [1] See object list titled, “Choices for End 2013 Acquisition,” dated December 2013, p. [4], copy in object file. The object’s previous owner is identified as Dasang Damdul Tsarong of the aristocratic Tsarong family from Lhasa, Tibet.

  Dasang Damdul Tsarong (1888-1959) was the Commander-in-Chief of the Tibetan Army and the head of the Tibetan mint. Born in Penyul, north of Lhasa, Tsarong rose to become an important aide to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (1876-1933), and he played an important role in modernizing Tibet. In 1913, Tsarong married his second wife, Pema Dolkar (1892-1957), who was from the aristocratic Tsarong family in Lhasa. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama subsequently ennobled him as the heir to the aristocratic estates of the Tsarongs. Following a revolt in Lhasa in March 1959, Tsarong was arrested by the Chinese Army, and he died in May 1959 while imprisoned.

  See also Paljor Tsarong, “The Life and Times of George Tsarong of Tibet, 1920-1970: A Lord of the Traditional Tibetan State” [book], (Lanham, MD; Lexington Books, 2002), pp. 263-266, 325-329, 378, 383-386. See also Dundul Namgyal Tsarong, “In the Service of His Country: The Biography of Dasang Damdul Tsarong, Commander General of Tibet,” [book], (Ithica, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 2000), p. 115.

  According to Dasang Damdul Tsarong’s son and grandson – Dundul Namgyal ‘George’ Tsarong (1920-2011) and Paljor Tsarong – the family sent their belongings out of Tibet in 1950, prior to the arrival of the Chinese Army in Lhasa in 1951. At various times during the latter half of 1950, the Tsarong woman and children left Tibet for Kalimpong, northern India, where they already had family. As a government official, Tsarong and George were not allowed to leave Tibet at that time.

  George (henceforth Tsarong) left Lhasa for the last time in 1957. He continued worked for the Tibetan government in exile in India which required him to make multiple trips to the United States (New York and elsewhere) and Europe during the 1960s. After retiring in the early 1970s, Tsarong and his wife – Yangchen Dolkar (1927-2014) of the Ragashar family – resettled in the United States. Between 1966 and 1975, Tsarong’s children also resettle in the United States, at first in the mid-West and northern New Jersey. Tsarong spent his later years in Kalimpong and Dehradun, India and he died in Dehradum in 2011. Tsarong is regarded as an important Tibetan photographer.

  [2] See “Alice Kandell Exhibition (March 2010) Provenance Draft Notes,” dated July 19, 2009, pp. 1-2. See also Tsarong, 2000, p. 385.

  Purportedly during the early 1960s, around 1964, Dundul Namgyal ‘George’ Tsarong sold a group of objects to Rudi Oriental Arts in New York, NY.

  Tsarong met Phillip J. Rudko at the Russian Buddhist Kalmak community in Howell Township, NJ. Tsarong also introduced Rudko to Albert ‘Rudi’ Rudolph, the owner of Rudi Oriental Arts.

  When Rudko was attending Rutgers University (between 1965-1969), he purchased this object and other Tsarong family objects from Rudi Oriental Arts. Rudi allowed for Rudko to pay for the objects in monthly installments over several years.

  In 2009, Rudko recalled that Tsarong had sold the objects because he needed the money. Paljor Tsarong confirms that the family was struggling financially, but it was “by the latter part of the 1960, [the family] was reduced to living off what was left of the family jewelry and heirloom.” As previous mentioned in note 1, Tsarong did travel to New York, NY during the 1960s, and further research indicates at least twice during 1961 and once during 1966.

  Alice S. Kandell subsequently acquired this object and others from Rudko after they met in the mid-1990s.

  Rudi Oriental Arts (active 1955/1956-ca. 1980s), New York, NY, was a shop established by Albert ‘Rudi’ Rudolph (1928-1973), also known as Swami Rudrananda. Also known as Rudi’s Oriental Antiques, Rudi’s shop specialized in objects from across Asia. Rudi began collecting Asian art before he turned twenty. In 1955 or 1956, Rudi opened his shop at 180 7th Avenue South with just a few hundred dollars and some of the sculptures he had collected in the late 1950s. Rudi was a disciple of Bhagawan Nityananda (1897-1961), whom he met in India in 1958 or 1960. In 1966 another disciple of Nityananda, Swami Muktananda (1908-1982) initiated him into the Saraswati Order of monks, making him one of the first Americans to be recognized as a Swami or master in this tradition. In 1968, Rudi moved to a larger location at 61 4th Avenue which had two floors and a basement. After he moved, his brother David (1922-2006) joined the staff, and he assisted with acquiring objects at auction and object research. Rudi’s mother, Rachel ‘Rae’ L. Rudolph (née Sikowitz) (1905-1975), also assisted with sales and general store operations. David and Rachel continued to run the store after Rudi died in a plane crash in 1973. David sold the business sometime after Rachel passed away. By 1996, David and his wife, Phyllis Rudolph (née Platzman) (1929-2016), had relocated to Portland, OR. Rudi frequently traveled to Asia to acquire objects while David acquired objects from auctions in the US. Rudi’s clients included dealer and collector including, Arnold Lieberman; Jack and Muriel Zimmerman; Dr. Welsley (1922-2010) and Mrs. Carolyn Halpert (1938-2015); and Drs. Andrew and Edita Sporer.

  [3] See note 2.

  Phillip J. Rudko, born just outside New York City in northern New Jersey, is a Russian Orthodox priest and art conservator, specializing in Tibetan objects. He works with the collector Alice Kandell as the curator of her personal collection. Rudko acquired objects through purchase and by trading his restoration services for Tibetan objects.

  [4] See note 2.

  Alice S. Kandell is a private collector, who for decades acquired hundreds of bronze sculptures, thangkas, textile banners, painted furniture and ritual implements. Her interest in Tibetan art and culture began during her college years, when she took the first of many trips to Sikkim, Tibet and Ladakh. Throughout her career as a child psychologist in New York, she continued to pursue her love of Tibetan Buddhist sacred art, traveling, collecting and documenting the art and culture of the region in two books of photography, “Sikkim: The Hidden Kingdom” (Doubleday) and “Mountaintop Kingdom: Sikkim” (Norton).

  [5] See the original Deed of Gift, dated March 18, 2011, copy in object file for S2011.10.

  The object is part of the museum’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection.

  Research updated February 22, 2025

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia (October 14, 2017 to February 6, 2022)

  Art of the Gift: Recent Acquisitions (July 24 to December 13, 2015)

  The Tibetan Shrine from the Alice S. Kandell Collection (March 13, 2010 to November 27, 2016)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Dasang Damdul Tsarong (1888-1959)

  Dundul Namgyal 'George' Tsarong (1920-2011)

  Rudi Oriental Arts (active 1955/1956-ca. 1980)

  Phillip J. Rudko

  Alice S. Kandell

• Origin

  Lhasa, Central Tibet

• Credit Line

  The Alice S. Kandell Collection

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1890s, 1870s

• Name

  Kandell, Alice S., Tsarong, Dasang Damdul, Rudko, Phillip J., Tsarong, Dundul Namgyal, Rudolph, Albert 'Rudi'

• Place

  Lhasa, Tibet

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Thangka, Art, Silk (fiber), Alice S. Kandell Collection, Padmasambhava

• Culture

  Buddhists, Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Paintings