13th century
Ink, opaque pigments and gold on cloth
21.2 × 22.4 cm
Provenance
Private collection, Milan
Avalokiteshvara in Tibetan Buddhism
Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, occupies a central position in Tibetan Buddhism, where he is revered as the embodiment of universal compassion and mercy.
Tibetan religious tradition attributes to him a fundamental role in the establishment and dissemination of the Dharma throughout Tibet. Avalokiteshvara is closely associated with the six syllable mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, one of the most widely recited sacred formulas in Tibetan Buddhism and an expression of the essence of his compassionate nature.
The iconography of Shadakshari Avalokiteshvara
This refined Tibetan thangka depicts Avalokiteshvara in his four armed form as Shadakshari, the “Lord of the Six Syllables”, an embodiment of the sacred mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.
The Bodhisattva is seated in padmasana upon a lotus throne. His principal hands are joined before his heart in anjali mudra and enclose the wish fulfilling jewel. His upper right hand holds a rosary, while his upper left hand supports a lotus. The small image of the Buddha Amitabha above his head identifies Avalokiteshvara as a member of the lotus family.
The central deity is flanked by the two figures traditionally associated with the Shadakshari triad. To the left of the composition is the yellow complexioned Manidhara, the “Holder of the Jewel”. To the right appears the goddess Shadakshari Mahavidya, the female personification of the mystical knowledge embodied in the six syllable mantra.
Four religious teachers, probably masters belonging to a lineage of transmission, occupy the upper corners of the composition. The lower register contains an assembly of subsidiary deities, including peaceful female figures associated with Tara and two more dynamic protective figures at the far left. Together, these figures reinforce the ritual and devotional character of the painting.
Style and execution
Despite its small scale, the painting displays remarkable technical refinement. The precise modelling of the figures, the balance of the composition and the intensity of the mineral pigments are enhanced by the extensive use of gold, particularly visible in the jewellery, haloes and architectural elements.
The elaborate throne, the saturated red ground, the delicate linear treatment of the bodies and the profusion of ornamental detail relate the work to the early pictorial tradition known as the Beri style. Derived from the art of the Newar masters of the Kathmandu Valley and from the late Buddhist traditions of northeastern India, this artistic language played a decisive role in the development of painting in Central Tibet during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
The combination of iconographic complexity, rich colour and controlled elegance makes this thangka of Shadakshari Avalokiteshvara a particularly refined example of early Tibetan art.
Museum comparison: Shadakshari Avalokiteshvara, Tibet, late 12th–13th century, The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, acc. no. F.120.
