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Date18th century
Maker
Tibetan
Label TextPadmasambhava, at the center of this image, is an 8th-century teacher who was summoned from India by Tibetan king Trisong Detsen to help establish Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet. The great teacher is seated on a Chinese-style throne, which has white lions with green manes on the base and dragons at the sides. His hands make the “turning the wheel of the law” mudra, symbolic for preaching the Buddhist doctrine. Lotus blossoms at his shoulders support a vajra and a bell. The background portrays eleven episodes from his fabled life. Scenes are minutely depicted in rich colors accented with gold, interspersed with trees, foliage, and clouds, resulting in a dense composition.
Object number50.158
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Luminous: The Art of Asia", October 13, 2011 - January 8, 2012Credit LineEugene Fuller Memorial Collection
DimensionsOverall h.: 67 3/4 in.
Overall w.: 37 1/2 in.
Image h.: 34 3/4 in.
Image w.: 23 1/4 in.
MediumTempera on cloth
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