DATED A.D. 1775

Details

a rare nepalese paubha depicting nine tantric deities
dated A.D. 1775
The central field has nine deities starting at the upper row with Kalacakra, Dharmadhatuvagishvara and Hevajra, the second row shows Vajrahumkara, Yogambara with his consort Prajnajnanadakini and Samvara, the last row has Vajrabhairava, Vighnanataka and Vajravarahi, each standing or seated on a lotus, all holding their specific attributes, some standing on the principal Hindu gods, red flaming aureols behind, with scrolling green plants in between, the upper register with central stupa of Svayambhunath flanked by six different gods, the lower border with two scenes representing the donor and his family flanking three different gods, lengthy inscription giving date of samvat 895 or A.D. 1775
75 x 57 cm

Provenance

Stella Kramrisch, Philadelphia

Literature

Kramrisch, S, Art of Nepal, Asia House Gallery, Vienna 1964, p. 153, pl. 102
Pal, P., Nepalese Paintings, Leiden 1978, pl. 122

Lot Essay

Uptil now no other Nepalese paubhas are recorded in public or private collections that show in such an intensive way esoteric Buddhist divinities. Several of them are even hard to come accross in Nepalese Buddhist art. All of them are depicted here in sexual embrace with their consort except Vajrabhairava and Vajrayogini. They also trample on the principle Hindu deities as to show its Buddhist superiority. Even its upper and lower registers are unusual by showing more esoteric gods, which are difficult to indentify without the right textual sources.
The attractiveness is emphasized by the use of contrasting colours which makes this painting an important testimony of esoteric Buddhist art in Nepal.

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