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4. Thangka of Vaisravana Sino-Mongolian 19th c. Mineral pigments and gold paint on prepared fabric, traditional mount 40 x 26 in. (101.5 x 66 cm.) |
The wrathful, red-faced guardian of the North, leader of the kings of the four directions, rides his growling white lion on a speckled sun disk through a cloud of black smoke. His mongoose, caught in the moment of spewing a jewel, confronts the lion who sends a roar back in his direction. Fierce male and female retinue figures, each holding a mongoose and clad in beaded jewelry and dhotis richly detailed in gold, dance energetically around the central figure. This blackground thangka exhibits a palette of bright color painted with verve. The Tibetan teacher Atisha popularized the form of Vaishravana riding a snow lion during the 11th century. -- Emma Stein Detail: Thangka of Vaishravana- center detail Detail: Thangka of Vaishravana- lower detail |