Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Deity - (Unidentified)

ལྷ།
(item no. 98428)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Bon
Size 113.03x74.93cm (44.50x29.50in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Publication: Visual Dharma: The Buddhist Art of Tibet
Catalogue # Collection of the Parrish Art Museum, Southhampton, New York
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Interpretation / Description

Rigchenma (Sanskrit: Kurukulla): although originally a Buddhist meditational deity this form of Rigchenma appears to belong to the Bon religion and more specifically to the Bon 'Sarma' Tradition of East Tibet - popular in the 18th and 19th century.

The Bon characteristics of the painting are the shape of the stupas in the lower composition with the tell-tale 'kyung' horns at the top of the spires. Also, to the right and left sides are two of the four Bon Guardian Kings with animal heads and their proper attributes in the hands.

Jeff Watt 9-2015

Visual Dharma: The Buddhist Art of Tibet (list of image plates)

Related Items
Publications
Publication: Visual Dharma: the Buddhist Art of Tibet

Thematic Sets
Buddhist Deity: Kurukulla Main Page
Bon Sarma (New Bon)
Collection: Sotheby's on HAR
Collection of Parrish Art Museum
Subject: Deity Colours - Red (Powerful Activities)
Collection: Sotheby's New York (Painting. September, 2015)
Buddhist Deity: Kurukulla (Confusions)
Collection Index: Publications Page
Bon Deity: Four Kings (Secondary Figures)