Legendary and historical humans, including teachers and accomplished masters, are a popular subject of Himalayan art.
Symbols and Meanings
Humans
Arhats
Arhats are said to be the historical Buddha’s original disciples. Traditionally portrayed as a group of sixteen Buddhist monks, they became exemplars of monastic life and upholders of the Buddha’s teaching (dharma).
Arhat Nagasena
Tibet, 18th century, Pigments on cloth
Arhat Ajita
Tibet or China, 17th century , Wood with pigmentsTeachers
Portraits of great historical religious teachers (lamas) often present the distinctive physical features of their subjects to convey something of the character of the individual portrayed. Such images also tend to display visual parallels with the arhat and mahasiddha genres.
Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813-1899)
Eastern Tibet, early 20th century, Pigments on cloth
Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo (1012-1088)
Eastern Tibet, 18th century, Pigments on cloth
Tsongkapa (1357-1419)
Tibet, 16th century, Silver, copper, and enamel with semiprecious stones and pigments
The Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso (1617–1682) with Previous Incarnations
Central Tibet, 18th century, Pigments on clothMahasiddhas
Mahasiddhas are great accomplished masters who embody Tantric Buddhist practices, which offer many unconventional paths to awakening. Usually of ordinary occupations, such as wandering monk, weaver, or farmer, they are often depicted in yogic positions and engaged in a wide range of unconventional behaviors.
Mahasiddha Avadhutipa
Tibet, 17th–18th century, Gilt copper alloy with turquoise inlay
Indrabhuti, from a set of the Eight Great Adepts (Mahasiddhas)
Kham region, eastern Tibet, 19th century, Pigments on clothRelated Essays
Arhats Viewing a Painting of Birds by the Tenth Karmapa Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China
1660
Portrait of Lowo Khenchen Sonam Lhundrub Mustang, Nepal
first half of the 16th century
Portrait of the Ninth Karmapa Central Tibet (possibly Tsurpu Monastery)
ca. 1590
Portrait of Ngadak Puntsok Rigdzin Lo Gekhar, Mustang, Nepal
mid-17th century
Nartang Woodblock Prints and Their Painted Copies: Previous Lives of the Panchen Lamas Nartang printing house, Tsang region, central Tibet
second quarter of 18th century (and a painted copy)
Portrait of Situ Panchen Pelpung Monastery, Derge, Kham region, eastern Tibet
ca. 1760s
Photograph of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama Lhasa, U region, central Tibet
1921
Virupa Sakya Monastery, Tsang region, central Tibet
ca. 1216–1244
