Artwork Page for Tantric Buddha Vairochana as Vajrasattva

Details / Information for Tantric Buddha Vairochana as Vajrasattva

Tantric Buddha Vairochana as Vajrasattva

c. 1150–1200

Central Tibet

Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on cloth
Measurements
Overall: 111 x 73 cm (43 11/16 x 28 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1989.104
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
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Did You Know?

A mantra written behind the figures invokes their living presence in the thangka painting.

Description

The seated Buddha dominating the composition is identified as Vairochana because of his hand gesture, the mudra communicating supreme enlightenment in which the index finger of one hand is grasped by the fingers of the opposite hand. His golden color and the tiny vajra—a six-pronged ritual object representing a thunderbolt—balanced on top of his finger suggest that he is in the guise of Vajrasattva, the summation of all enlightened beings. In his crown is the image of a monk, who is probably the guru of the donor, the small monastic figure at the lower right next to the lotus pedestal.
Vertically oriented painting depicting the Buddha with gold-tinged skin seated cross-legged on a stylized lotus flower with multi-color petals. Two standing figures flank and look towards him. Above each of these figures are two more seated figures and then three more cross-legged, each half the size of the figures below. Below the lotus, a row of three standing figures flank a seated one. These figures have gold-tinted, blue, red, and other colorful skin tones.

Tantric Buddha Vairochana as Vajrasattva

c. 1150–1200

Central Tibet

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