A thangka of Sadbhuja Mahakala


18th century The six-armed deity depicted striding with a fierce expression, trampling upon Ganapati, surrounded by a mass of blazing flames, holding various attributes in his hands, including a vajra, a skull cup, a damaru and an outstretched elephant skin, his waist draped with a tiger skin, the upper register with Vajradhara seated at the centre, flanked by various lamas and mahasiddas, the central figure flanked by other forms of Mahakala, the lower register with Shri Devi and other worldly protectors.70.5cm x 53cm (28 1/8in x 20 7/8in).
|十八世紀 彩繪大黑天像唐卡Provenance: Navin Kumar, ParisFournier Collection, ParisA European private collection, acquired from the above in the 1980's來源：巴黎古董商Navin Kumar巴黎Fournier收藏歐洲私人收藏，於1980年代購自上者In his present form with six hands, Shadbhujia Mahakala is the wrathful emanation of Avalokoiteshvara. The deity arises from the eight chapter of the Mahakala Tantra belonging to the Kriya classification. There are several forms of Shadbhujia, the most popular being the wealth deity White Mahakala practiced in all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, but other versions of the deity are found in the Gelugpa and the Tsarpa lineages of Sakya. The fearsome appearance and the terrifying implements held by the deity refer to his capability to cope with persistent and unwanted negativities. His most distinctive symbolic attributes are the chopper kartri and the skull bowl kapala filled with blood, symbolising the sharp edge of wisdom shredding all materialistic negative attitudes in the human-skull bowl of emptiness that holds the blood of defeated evil and demonic elements.Compare the physical appearence of the deity and the treatment of the flames with a thangka of Mahakala, 18th century, from the collection of Pia and Louis van der Wee, illustrated in Himalayan Art Resources, no.100634.