Southeast Asia, Tibet/Bhutan, ca. 19th century CE. A fine embroidered silk thangka of multi-colored hues featuring a large central image of Shakyamuni Buddha seated on a lotus throne with a peaceful gaze of meditation, blue hair in tufts with a gold top-knot ornament and the split ears of a prince, wearing the patched saffron red robes of a fully ordained monk. With legs folded in vajra posture he sits above a lotus with hands holding a vajra and alms bowl. Size: image 30.5" L x 20.5" W (77.5 cm x 52.1 cm); entire 54.5" L x 29.5" W (138.4 cm x 74.9 cm)

Shakyamuni (Sakyamuni) Buddha, also known as Gautam Buddha, was born in 563 BCE at Lumbini, in the western part of Nepal. He attained "Bodhi Gyana" enlightenment, that is a state of Nirvana, after six years of meditation. He was then called the enlightened one "Buddha". Shakyamuni died at the age of eighty at Kusinagara. To distinguish from all other Buddhas, he is called Shakyamuni (lion of the Shakya clan), the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Mayadevi. Imagery of the Shakyamuni Buddha is believed to bring peace and enlightenment in believers' bodies and minds. Just over a dozen other Buddhas, sacred figures and animals accompany Shakyamuni in this thangka, and an array of prayer flags wave and flutter in the sky above.

Provenance: Ex-Bricker Collection; acquired from Beijing in 2004

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#119215

Missing dowels. One small tear to fabric border surrounding tangka image. Tear to layer of fabric that backs thangka. Otherwise excellent.