Decanter, Cup, and Rhyton

Mandala of Eight Great Bodhisattvas

Yulin Cave 25, east wall Middle Tang (781–848)

Silver cylindrical object with faces of four figures in relief at cardinal points

The "Three Silver Brothers" Manjushri - Avalokiteshvara - Vajrapani (left to right)

Western Tibet, Puhrang area early 13th century

Nyima Oser, One of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava

Tibet 18th century

Golden statuette depicting lama seated on lotus pedestal with hands in mudras at chest

Bon Lama, Rinchen Gyeltsen (1415-1446)

Central Tibet 18th century

Senge Dradok, One of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava

Kham Province, Eastern Tibet 18th century

Dorje Drolo, One of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava

Kham Province, Eastern Tibet 19th century

Loden Chokse, One of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava

Kham Province, Eastern Tibet 19th century

Pema Gyelpo, One of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava

Eastern Tibet early 20th century

Orgyen Dorje Chang, One of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava

Eastern Tibet 19th century

Padmasambhava, Pema Jungne

Kham Province, Eastern Tibet late 18th-19th century

Four Mandalas of the Vajravali Cycle

Ewam Choden Monastery, Tsang region, central Tibet 1429–1456

Blue-skinned, many-armed, cow- and human-headed deity in dynamic pose before fiery nimbus

Vajrabhairava Solitary of Rwa Lotsawa Tradition

Western mural painting in Hevajra Chapel, middle floor, Gongkar Chode Monastery, Gongkar County, Lhokha, U region, central Tibet (present-day TAR, China) ca. 1464–1476

Two blue-skinned, many-armed deities holding implements, locked in embrace before fiery nimbus

Hevajra

Northern mural painting in Hevajra Chapel, middle floor, Gongkar Chode Monastery, Gongkar County, Lhokha, U region, central Tibet (present-day TAR, China) ca. 1464–1476

Deity and consort locked in embrace, holding spiritual implements, surrounded by deity portraits

Drenpa Namkha (ca. 8th century)

Amdo Province, Eastern Tibet 19th century

Painting mounted on orange brocade depicting lama seated amidst deity and lama portraits

Bon Lama Sanggye Lingpa (1705-1735)

Gyelrong, Eastern Tibet 19th century

Wrathful deity stands in dynamic pose before fiery nimbus, surrounded by deity portraits

Four-armed Mahakala, left, and Remati, right

Ron Wosel Puk, Tibet 1538

Stirrups belonging to the equestrian set of Yuthok Tashi Dhondup

Tibetan, Derge ca. 1943–1947

Many-armed, blue-skinned deity locked in embrace with orange-skinned deity holds animal pelt behind back

The Buddhist Deities Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi

Tibet (by a Newar artist) ca. 15th century

Panchen Lama rebirth lineage portraits, set of thirteen thangkas copied from Nartang xylographic designs

Tibet 19th century

Painting on cloth depicting Buddha seated on lotus pedestal, surrounded by attendants, before mountainous background

Mold for an image of Tsongkhapa (1357-1419)

Mongolia 19th century

Two halves of clay and copper mold used to produce votive tablet depicting wrathful deity

Mold for clay image (tsatsa) of Vajrapani

Himalayan region 19th century

Carved wooden dagger-shaped implement featuring head, face scowling, wearing crown of skulls at pommel

Mold for clay image (tsatsa) of Buddha Amitayus

Himalayan region 19th century

Religious implement in vajra shape: two open spheres formed by curved prongs connected by shaft

Bodhisattvas Maitreya and Manjushri in Tushita Pure Realm

Tibet early 20th century

Dark brown sculpture with traces of gilding depicting deity riding on horseback before fiery nimbus

Attendant Figure to Vaishravana

Tibet 16th century

Chakrasamvara with Consort Vajravarahi

Kham region, eastern Tibet 19th century

Patinated metal religious implement in shape of stupa resting on lotus pedestal featuring serpentine motif at apex

Tara as Protectress from the Eight Fears

Eastern Tibet 19th century

Rectangular page featuring Tibetan text at center flanked by two portraits: Bodhisattva at left; Wrathful deity at right

Frontispiece from The Great Destroyer of the Thousand Foes (Mahasahasrapramardani) Sutra Manuscript

Tibet ca. 13th–14th century

Green-skinned, many-armed Bodhisattva wearing garland of human heads seated before fiery nimbus

Tara, as a Great Yogini, After a Set of Paintings “Twenty-seven Tantric Deities” designed by Situ Panchen (1700-1774)

Kham region, eastern Tibet 19th century

Painting in reds and golds depicting Buddha seated in meditation amidst grid of dozens of miniature portraits

Vairochana, From a Set of Initiation Cards (Taskali)

Tibet ca. 14th century

Bodhisattva holding long-stemmed blossom sits before landscape surrounded by dozens of portraits in grid arrangement

Ratnasambhava, From a Set of Initiation Cards (Tsakali)

Tibet ca. 14th century

Vasudhara, Goddess of Abundance

Nepal 17th century

Patinated copper statue depicting deity standing with arms crossed at chest, wearing garland of human heads

Medical Painting of Minor Connecting Blood Vessels or Capillaries, Illustration to the Medical Treatise The Blue Beryl, Chapter 4

Tibet 18th century

12 bronze-colored medical instruments with vajra-tipped handles: scalpels, probes, and hooks

Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyelsten

Tsang region, central Tibet 18th century

Medical chart featuring scenes arranged in registers divided into cells depicting patients in conversation with doctors

Medical Painting on Prophylactics, Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Principles, Illustration to the Medical Treatise the Blue Beryl, Chapters 23–28

Central Tibet 19th century

Wrathful deity standing on haunches before fiery nimbus, holding staff in arms and implements in hands

Buddha’s Birth, from a set of the Twelve Deeds of the Buddha, Print from a woodblock

Derge Printing House, Kham region, eastern Tibet after 1960

Tarnished brass-colored sculpture depicting wrathful deity wearing crown and billowing robes holding staff across body

Birth of the Buddha, from a set of the Twelve Deeds of the Buddha, after a carved woodblock

Tibet 20th century

Mandala in rust-reds and greens featuring vajra-pointed inner circle and deity portraits at corners

Vajrabhairava with Consort Vajravetali

China Ming dynasty (1368–1644), second half of the 15th century

Patinated golden sculpture depicting Buddha wearing pointed crown and tall hairstyle seated in meditation

Buddha Vairochana

China Qing dynasty (1644–1911), ca. 19th century

The Stages of Nepalese Lost-Wax Metal Casting

Nepal 2022

Six-armed deity stands in embrace with blue-skinned consort surrounded by deity portraits above sparse landscape

Vishnu with the King of Snakes, Shesha

Nepal ca. 17th century

Gilt open metalwork depicting serpent deity hooded by three snakes, her tail curling amidst acanthus scrolls

Refuge Field with Machik Labdron (1055–1153)

Tibet early 20th century

Buddha hovers, left hand extended towards ground, above landscape dotted with buildings and groups of figures

Life Story of Buddha Shakyamuni

Tibet 19th century

Tarnished copper sculpture depicting many-armed and -headed deity standing with feet planted firmly apart

Buddha Shakyamuni and Teaching Stories (Avadana)

Central Tibet late 18th–19th century

Siddha holds left hand to back of head as he floats above rocky landscape dotted with buildings and groups of figures

Milarepa and Scenes from His Life

Tibet 18th century

Philosopher seated at left gazes at mountainous landscape dotted with magnificent buildings and groups of figures

Life Story of Tsongkhapa (1357–1419)

Tibet 18th century

Guru wearing saffron robe sits on lotus pedestal, hovering above landscape dotted with buildings and scenes

Padmasambhava and his eight manifestations

Kham region, eastern Tibet 19th century

Detail of painting depicting Enlightened Teacher in brocade robe tending to head of figure crouching at right

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813-1899)

Eastern Tibet early 20th century

Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo (1012-1088)

Eastern Tibet 18th century

Gold- and silver-colored sculpture depicting monk wearing pleated robe, holding long-stemmed blossoms in hands

The Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso (1617–1682) with Previous Incarnations

Central Tibet 18th century

Bronze-colored sculpture depicting four-armed Bodhisattva seated on lotus pedestal; tightly wound textile scroll attached to front left arm

Indrabhuti, from a set of the Eight Great Adepts (Mahasiddhas)

Kham region, eastern Tibet 19th century

Colorful banner made of chevron-shaped pieces of textile supporting two paintings depicting woman at left, religious structure at right

Temple Banner with Seven Symbols of Royal Power and Offerings

Tibet 19th century

Green-skinned Bodhisattva seated on throne decorated with animals and stupas; Left foot rests on lotus blossom

Chakrasamvara and the Footprints of Drigungpa Jikten Sumgon (1143–1217)

Tibet before 1217

Golden statuette depicting two deities locked in embrace and surrounded by sculptural, billowing sashes

Chakrasamvara in Union with Vajravarahi

central Tibet ca. 1386

Metal devotional implement in stupa shape featuring deity image at center, filigree work, and script

Chorten constructed in the memory of Kunga Drolchok (1507–1566)

Namgyal Monastery; Mustang, Nepal ca. 1568

Deity holding implements rides galloping cryptid beast against backdrop stained in dramatic browns, reds, and blues

Damchen, the Oath-Bound Protector

Gura Sharkha, Minyak, Kham region, eastern Tibet dated 1655

Deities of the Padmakula Mandala

Dunhuang, China period of Tibetan rule (ca. 781–848)

Monochrome woodblock print depicting seated regent gazing below at attendants, surrounded above by deity portraits

Desi Sanggye Gyatso (1653–1705)

Tibet 17th century

Stylized female figure holding planet Earth, beset by flame and flood, in mouth as snake emerges from her pregnant belly

Detail of Makzor Gyelmo, Queen Who Repels Armies, from lower right of painting, showing four ladies with a range of vessels including a two-toned, open-top pitcher with spout and handle

Amdo region, eastern Tibet 19th century

Seated Buddha and attendants assembled in circle look upon beasts being slain by two figures

Detail of Morality Tale of Vidura from chapter 76 in the Wish-fulfilling Vine (Bodhisattvavadanakalpalata)

Southern mural painting of the original Main Assembly Hall, ground floor, Gongkar Chode Monastery, Gangto Village, Gongkar County, Lhokha, U region, central Tibet (present-day TAR, China) ca. 1464–1476

Mural in photorealistic style depicting Lama seated on ornate golden throne above group of lamas and deities

Detail of Mural of Fourteenth Dalai Lama Receiving International Dignitaries

Norbulingka, Lhasa, Tibet 1956

Throng of people outside and on top of buildings greet horsedrawn cart laden with goods

Detail of Pegam Chest showing pitcher and chemar bo grain vessel on the central table as greeting offerings

19th century

Black and white photograph of tapered structure surrounded at base by registers of decoration and deity statues

Detail of Second Tashi Gomang

Densatil Monastery, U region, central Tibet (present-day TAR, China) erected from 1360 for Drakpa Gyeltsen

Close view of religious implement with doors opened revealing dozens of portraits; decorated with pigments and stones

Detail of tashi gomang

Tashichhodzong, Thimphu, Bhutan 17th century

Close view of saffron-robed figure seated with hands posed in mudras before orange nimbus

Detail of Two Indian and Four Tibetan Masters

central Tibet early 13th century

Deity at center of monumental stupa with lotus base surrounded by figures floating above verdant landscape

Ushnishavijaya

Tibet 18th century

27 golden Buddha statues, turned away from viewer, mounted in six rows with backsides protruding from blue wall

Do What You Love

2010

Tarnished statuette depicting figure seated with hands clasped at chest and right knee raised

Donor Figure

western Nepal/western Tibet 13th–14th century

Patinated bronze hand bell featuring handle decorated with faces and vajra-shaped pommel

Drilbu Bell Claimed to Have Been Discovered by Dorje Lingpa

Thimpu, Bhutan discovered in the 14th century

Sculpture depicting golden, many-armed goddess and animals atop wooden plinth flanked by kneeling attendants

Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon (Durga Mahishasuramardini)

Nepal 12th–13th century

Orange-red bird with outstretched wings underneath line drawing of horned animal on beige pockmarked rock

Eagle and Wild Herbivore

Zhamar Puk, Tashi Dochung, Lake Namtso, Tibet Protohistoric period (ca. 100–600 CE)

Smooth, purple-brown figurine of a sheep featuring curved horn, prominent musculature, and wooly neck

Figurine of a Wild Sheep

closely associated with western Tibet Protohistoric period (ca. 100 BCE to 600 CE)

Rectangular tea-brown page featuring Tibetan text and illumination at left; fragments missing from right side

First Folio from The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, and detail with Milarepa; Drakkar Taso; 1550–1555; xylographic print on paper; folio 4-1/8 x 20 in. (10.5 x 51 cm); British Library, OPB 19999a3

Drakkar Taso 1550–1555

Tea-brown page with red border featuring Tibetan text and illuminations in color interspersed amongst text

Folios from a Biography of Milarepa

Tibet 17th–18th century

Mandala with blue textile border at top and bottom; panel of yellow textile raised to reveal painting.

Forty-Three-Deity Mandala of Manjuvajra

central Tibet 1375–1380

Saffron-colored painting mounted on orange and yellow brocade depicting seated Lama surrounded by small figures

Fourth Panchen Lobzang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570–1662), with previous incarnations

Tsang region, central Tibet mid-17th century

Page featuring four lines of text above illumination depicting four deities in blue squares against red background; bottom right corner of page torn away

Fragmentary page from a Prajnaparamita Sutra manuscript

Toling 11th century

Frontispiece from the Great Destroyer of the Thousand Foes (Mahasahasrapramardani) Sutra Manuscript

Tibet ca. 13th–14th century

Line drawing on beige paper depicting seated Buddha and retinue amid profusion of elaborate patterns and forms

Frontispiece of the Chinese translation of Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra (Diamond Sutra)

Dunhuang, present-day Gansu Province, China 11 May 868 CE

Dark stone statue of Vishnu riding Garuda; anointed with red and gold pigments

Garudasana Vishnu

Changu Narayan Temple; Nepal ca. 7th–8th century

Monk seated in tree, surrounded by dozens of portraits, which hang like leaves from the branches

Geluk Refuge Field with Tsongkhapa

central Tibet ca. late 18th–early 19th century

Ghantapa as one of the Eight Great Tantric Adepts

Kham region, eastern Tibet 18th century

Golden statue depicting goddess seated on lotus pedestal holding vajra in left hand at chest

Goddess Marichi

Mongolia late 17th or early 18th century

Green Tara

central Tibet ca. 1260s

Brasswork featuring etched image of seated Buddha enclosed by arched structure and two patterned, horseshoe-shaped bands

Halo with etched Buddha at Awakening and Attendants

Kashmir ca. 720

Glass cylinder featuring three stone-decorated bands mounted on spindle; green jade handle at right

Handheld Prayer Wheel

Tibet 19th–20th century

Small, green, double-headed drum attached with cord to long tassel embroidered with religious motifs

Handheld Drum (Damaru)

Tibet or Mongolia early 20th century

Gridded square with ten columns and ten rows, each containing plant illustration and accompanying text

Herbal Medicines, Painting 26 of the Tibetan Medical Paintings, Ulan Ude Set

Lhasa, central Tibet early 20th-century copy of original from ca. 1687–1697

Photograph of t-shirt-shaped objects mounted on poles at shore of body of water before mountain range

Installation work in the exhibition Keepers of the Water

Lhasa 1996

Black and white photograph of craftsman in his studio chiseling small piece of material to create face

Interior view of the “Jung Ho [Ronghe] idol factory” (copper workshop)

located near the Yonghegong Monastery, Beijing, China 1930s

Copper-colored metalwork depicting half-man, half-bird figure adorned with crown, garlands, and plumage

Jalamanusha (Merman)

Nepal ca. 13th century

Scene featuring dynamically posed nude figures gathering around robed figure and tiered structure within garden setting

Jataka of the Bodhisattva Sonam Tob (Story 90); north wall of the ground-floor circumambulatory passage

Zhalu Monastery; Tsang District, central Tibet 14th century

Gold- and bronze-colored sculpture depicting seated, crowned Buddha flanked by two attendants

Juu Shakyamuni with his pupils

made in Dolonnuur, Inner Mongolia, decorated in Buryatia (Federation of Russia) 19th century

Mottled copper religious implement in stupa shape with canopy and lotus blossom at top

Kadampa-style Reliquary Stupa

Tibet 13th or 14th century

Lama wearing red brocade robe seated before body of water amidst trees, animals, and attendants

Kagyu Lama with Four Lineage Gurus

Tibet ca. late 16th century

Black and white photograph of mule with elaborately decorated harness, head ornaments, string of bells at neck, and saddle carpet

Kala, Maultier des Postreiters (Kala, mule of the post rider)

Tibet 1938 or 1939

Four illustrations on rectangular beige folio: concentric circles, gridded color fields, and human anatomical illustration

Kalachakra Cosmology Illustrations

Tibet 16th century

Painting mounted on brown damask depicting lama seated before rocky outcropping, flanked by attendants

Karmapa in Cave (Tenth Karmapa, Sixth Gyeltsab, and Kuntu Zangpo)

Tibet or Gyeltang, northern Yunnan 17th century (ca. 1668–1674)

Mottled sepia textile featuring angled footprints standing astride deity seated upon lotus amid floral motifs

Karmapa with His Footprints

central Tibet late 12th–early 13th century

Two gilded sculptures depicting king and female figure kneel with hands in prayer at chests

King Bhaskara Deva Varma (12th century) and Woman Donor Wearing Tayo-bizakani

Kwa Baha, Patan, Nepal 1804

Tall, cylindrical, mahogany-colored pitcher featuring diminutive spout and golden floral motifs covering vessel body

Lacquered Wood Duomu Pitcher with Gold Floral Designs

China 19th–20th century

Lama seated on throne with vajra in left hand, suspended above mountainous landscape, surrounded by portraits

Lama Chogyur Lingpa (1829–1870)

Kham region, eastern Tibet 19th century

Wind instrument made from human leg bone; shaft covered in copper sheath, joint wrapped with natural material

Leg Bone Trumpet (Kang Ling)

Tibet 18th–19th century

Tarnished, gilded relief sculpture depicting rider on horseback before background featuring figures in miniature

Lhamo

Densatil Monastery, U region, central Tibet (present-day TAR, China) ca. 1407–1408

Black and white photograph of four people, one with umbrella, gathering around camera on tripod

Lhasa Newars with Camera

Lhasa 1940s

Black and white photograph of people inspecting collection of wool bales floating on water at shoreline

Lhasa, der Wollhafen mit Details (Lhasa, wool port with details)

Lhasa 1938 or 1939

Armored men mounted on horseback, carrying spears and standards, assemble at base of mountain range

Lhasa, die große Neujahrsparade (Lhasa, the great New Year’s parade)

Lhasa 1938 or 1939

Silver statuette depicting seated figure with left hand posed in mudra, right hand holding implement

Life Portrait of the Sixth Zhamar, Garwang Chokyi Wangchuk (1584–1630)

Tibet early 17th century (before 1630)

Life Story of Buddha Shakyamuni

Tibet 19th century

Maitreya

Mongolia 1680s

Maitreya

Mongolia 1680s

Rectangular textile depicting seated Bodhisattva surrounded by eight smaller deities against background of red and gold

Mandala of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in Several Different Aspects: Padmapani, Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, Chintamanichakra Avalokiteshvara, and Amoghapasha at center

Dunhuang, China period of Tibetan rule (ca. 781–848)

Line drawing featuring Buddha at center surrounded by concentric rings and square frames decorated with symbols and figures

Mandala with the Five Dhyani (Meditation) Buddhas, symbolic of the five cosmic elements, identifiable as Vairochana (center), Amitabha (top), Ratnasambhava (left), Amoghasiddhi (right); and Akshobhya (bottom)

Dunhuang, China ca. 851–900

Three gilded Bodhisattva statuettes: one holds sword in left hand, one sits pensively, one holds vajra in left hand

Qianlong as Manjushri-Chakravartin (brought to Lhasa in 1757–1758 at the death of the Seventh Dalai Lama) in front a Qing imperial tablet (brought in 1722 during the enthronement of the Seventh Dalai Lama)

Hall of Victory over Three Realms, Red Palace of the Potala, Lhasa, Tibet

Crowned Buddha seated on lotus throne, surrounded by attendants and deities arranged in registers

Situ Panchen as Patron of The Wish-Granting Vine Series of One Hundred and Eight Morality Tales, twenty-third painting after Situ’s set

Kham region, eastern Tibet 19th century

Three panels of paper bearing florid, sprawling illustrations outlined in red ink; eight figures in scrollwork roundels at top

Statue of Ten Thousand Knives Padmasambhava, said to be made of melted knives offered by the local population in the aftermath of a murder

Khamar Monastery, Dornogovi Province, Mongolia First half of 19th century, crown made in 2005

Gilded statuette of seated, four-armed Bodhisattva holding sword in leftmost hand and spiritual implements in others

Uninscribed representation of Lowo Khenchen, identified on the basis of his distinct physical features and the workmanship

Lo (Mustang) 16th century

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