Artwork Page for Vajrapani Embroidered Mount with Garuda

Details / Information for Vajrapani Embroidered Mount with Garuda

Vajrapani Embroidered Mount with Garuda

painting 1600s, embroidery c. 1300

Choying Dorje, the Tenth Black Hat Karmapa

(Tibetan, 1604–1674)
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Culture
China and Tibet, Embroidery: China, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368); painting: Tibet, 17th century
Medium
Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on silk
Measurements
Overall: 44.5 x 2.5 cm (17 1/2 x 1 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1989.11.d
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

Vajrapani sometimes takes the form of Garuda, enemy of snakes.

Description

The painting depicts the Buddhist protector who holds (pani) the thunder bolt (vajra) in his right hand. He kneels in reverence and holds his left hand in a gesture of salute. This unusual image appears to have been the vision of a Tibetan monastic patriarch known for creating his own inventive paintings and sculptures.

Sewn to the painting are Chinese damask borders and rare embroideries dating to the Chinese Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). They depict man-eagle figures known as Garuda, a form occasionally assumed by Vajrapani.
A vertically long silk textile fragment features a column of repeating green floral medallions with orange centers connected by scrolling vines against a beige background. Muted green and tan geometric patterns sit at the top. The narrow, frayed strip is finished at the bottom with a dark brown fabric cap joined by visible red stitches. The colors have faded over time, yet the intricate floral patterns remain visible across the worn surface.

Vajrapani Embroidered Mount with Garuda

painting 1600s, embroidery c. 1300

Choying Dorje, the Tenth Black Hat Karmapa

(Tibetan, 1604–1674)
China and Tibet, Embroidery: China, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368); painting: Tibet, 17th century

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