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Here the artist has filled the canvas so profusely with jewels, foliage, rich textiles, golden ornamental frames, and offerings that the black ground on which it was painted has almost disappeared. That dark ground is visible only in the bottom corners, which also include depictions of wrathful offerings such as rampant yaks, sheep, horses, and dogs painted in the gold outline that is traditional for this genre.
The back of the painting contains a pair of handprints, blessing the object. These are often made by incarnate lamas or other important religious figures as part of a painting’s consecration.
Six-Armed White Mahakala
OriginCentral Tibet
Datelate 18th – early 19th century
Dimensions25 3/8 x 20 1/8 x 2 in. (64.5 x 51.1 x 5.1 cm)
MediumPigments on cloth
Classification(s)
Credit LineRubin Museum of Art, Gift of the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation
Object numberF1997.29.1
Himalayan Art Resources Number351
DescriptionThis painting of the six-armed, white form of Mahakala shows the wealth deity holding in his main hands a wish-granting jewel and a skull cup containing a vase filled with various jewels. Immediately above him is a form of Buddha Vajradhara specific to practices associated with this wealth deity, holding a triple jewel and a mongoose, imagery also associated with wealth in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.Here the artist has filled the canvas so profusely with jewels, foliage, rich textiles, golden ornamental frames, and offerings that the black ground on which it was painted has almost disappeared. That dark ground is visible only in the bottom corners, which also include depictions of wrathful offerings such as rampant yaks, sheep, horses, and dogs painted in the gold outline that is traditional for this genre.
The back of the painting contains a pair of handprints, blessing the object. These are often made by incarnate lamas or other important religious figures as part of a painting’s consecration.
Not on view
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