Painted Zeeba Chest From Tibet - Late 18th Century

From Eastern Tibet, this antique Tibetan chest is particularly special. Depicting the guardian spirit Zeeba, this chest would have been used for the storage of religious items either in homes or monasteries. This particular chest is featured in the book "Tibetan Furniture: Identifying · Appreciating · Collecting" - by C. Buckley - page 148.

Zeeba (or Zipak / Kirtimukha) was a protector demon created by Shiva, Zeeba was starved of prey and subsequently ate his body leaving just his disembodied hands and head. He has been present in Asian art since 500 AD. Here he is depicted with a sun & moon symbol (nyma dawa) on his head acting as protection for the owner.

The woodwork and joinery are of excellent quality, although the painting feels more provincial and rustic with the corner scrolls missing from the bottom. This is perhaps because the face is of such large proportions the painter didn't have room to fit them in the frame.

The colours and designs used in antique Tibetan furniture are very decorative. This chest has simple plain painting on the side. It has become extremely difficult to find pieces these days and because of this many reproduction pieces are appearing on the market.