Collecting guide: Himalayan paintings

The thangka, a Tibetan painting using ground mineral pigment on cotton or silk, functions as one of the principle meditational tools in Buddhist practice.

A thangka usually depicts a central Buddhist deity or teacher surrounded by associated gods and lineage figures, describes events or myths attributed to important religious teachers, or outlines the blueprint of a particular deity’s realm as a mandala. The viewer accrues merit and makes spiritual progress by meditating on the iconographic imagery associated with the particular Buddhist teaching.

Each of the thangkas selected below comes from an exceptional collection of Himalayan Paintings ranging from the 15th to 19th century. Of varying sizes and depicting both wrathful and peaceful imagery, these works illustrate the vast array of iconography and styles in this ancient painting tradition.

1. The wrathful deity/protector

Depicting the dark blue wrathful protector Chaturmukha Mahakala, this painting is a meditation aid that emphasizes the ferocious qualities of this deity, as illustrated by his wrathful appearance. Typically, the principle deity tramples either an animal or a human, symbolically stamping out illusion and suppressing the limitations of attachment to the earthly realm.

This thangka displays a central deity surrounded by his four attendant dakinis- Dombini, Chandali, Rakshasi and Singhali Devi, all depicted with different colored skin. These figures are depicted on a black ground landscape of Heaven and Earth. Sensory offerings, associated with the main deity (in this example, the offerings such as the eyes, heart and blood in the skull cap) represent the important Buddhist concept of the impermanence of the physical body.

Thangkas painted on black ground are used to depict wrathful and semi-wrathful deities. This particular example of a black thangka is especially notable for its vivid palette, excellent condition and large size.

The deity’s appearance is not meant to frighten but rather to convey the strength needed when trying to overcome the powerful obstacles that thwart man’s transcendence of the material world.

2. The healing or benefactor deity

Tara is an important figure is Buddhism, revered as a bodhisattva and deity across different traditions of Buddhism. She has many emanations, often specified by color; per primary form is Green Tara, which is believed to encompass all colors. As white Tara, she is associated with pacification and maternal compassion. She is revered as a source to heal wounded beings and is associated with longevity.

3. The yab-yum posture/meditational deity

This painting of Vajrabhairava, or ‘the Adamantine Terrifier”, is an exceptionally large painted thangka depicting a subject of great importance to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties of China.

Here, Vajrabhairava is depicted with accoutrements that represent his divine abilities. Depicted in embrace with his consort, Vajra Vetali, their union represents the joining of male and female qualities of wisdom and compassion.

This painting is rare due to its monumental size and high quality of painting synthesizing central Tibetan, eastern Tibetan, and Beijing styles of painting. it also carries a lengthy inscription dating the work to the year 1740.

4. Historical figure/teacher

This 18th century painting depicts the fourth through eight abbots of Ngor Monastery, renowned for its scholarship and artistic commissions. The central figure represents Gorampa Sonam Senge (1429-1489), the sixth abbot of Ngor and one of the most important figures within their tradition.

Ngor Monastery is well known for their 15th an 16th centuries paintings, executed with Nepalese and Central Tibetan influences, though this 18th century painting masters different eastern Tibetan and Chinese influenced styles. The painting was likely part of a larger set depicting the full lineage of abbots up until its creation.

The rich and complex iconography of this painting, along with its delicate colors and finely rendered portraits, make it an exceptional example of Tibetan art, as well as a divine diagram for spiritual progress.

5. Mandala

A mandala depicts in two-dimensional form the three-dimensional space inhabited by the deity. The bird’s-eye-view centralizes the main deity within concentric squares, circles and borders of his associated lineage and related figures, arranged in order of importance.

In the central mandala, the wrathful god is depicted in yab-yum, surrounded by his lineage. Four doorways at north, south, east and west offer opportunity for entry and approach; circles with lotuses support the diagram. Registers of historical people, human practitioners, often complete the image in the top and bottom sections.

A mandala maps the meditative path for the practitioner, connecting them to the deity and the world he inhabits.