A painting of Buddha Shakyamuni with Arhats

TIBET, CIRCA 1800

Details

A painting of Buddha Shakyamuni with Arhats
Tibet, circa 1800
The Buddha seated on a lotus over a lion throne, holding the vase of amrita and his hand in bhumisparsamudra, wearing red patchwork robes and backed by an elaborate torana consisting of mythical beasts and celestial beings, flanked by attendants and arhats with protector deities below, all set against a verdant landscape filled with auspicious jewels and rolling clouds
Opaque pigments and gold on textile
23½ x 16¾ in. (60 x 42.5 cm.)

Literature

Himalayan Art Resources (himalayanart.org), item no. 30637

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Lot Essay

This painting is from a set of likely seven paintings total depicting Buddha Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Arhats, the earliest followers of Buddha. In this painting, Buddha is flanked by his two chief male disciples, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana.

Above are the two arhats Angaja and Bakula at top left and right, respectively, centered by Amitabha above Garuda. Anaja is identifiable by his elderly appearance and his attributes of the flywhisk and golden incense bowl, and Bakula by the mongoose he holds. Below from left are Shadbhuja Mahakala, Vaishravana, Shri Devi and Yama Dharmaraja. For a very similar painting from a nearly complete set in the Field Museum, see Himalayan Art Resources (www.himalayanart.org), item no. 54437.

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