COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
Record
AMICA ID:
CMA_.1989.11
AMICA Library Year:
1998
Object Type:
Textiles
Creator Nationality:
Asian; Far East Asian; Tibetan
Creator Name-CRT:
Embroidery: China; Painting: Tibet, Embroidery: Yuan dynasty (1279-1368); painting: Tibet, 17th century
Title:
Thangka with Garuda
Title Type:
Primary
View:
Full View
Creation Date:
1279 - 1368
Creation Start Date:
1279
Creation End Date:
1368
Creation Date:
1600s
Creation Start Date:
1600
Creation End Date:
1699
Materials and Techniques:
embroidery, painting on damask; silk, silvered paper, silver thread, pigment
Classification Term:
Embroidery
Style or Period:
Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) / 17th century
Dimensions:
Overall: 114.6cm x 44.5cm
AMICA Contributor:
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Owner Location:
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
ID Number:
1989.11
Credit Line:
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Context:
Thangka with GarudaEmbroidery, painting on damask; silk, silvered paper, silver thread, pigmentEmbroidery: China, Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)Painting: Tibet, 1600sThe Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1989.11(Cat. no. 58)The most important elements of this thangka (icon) are the two embroideredpanels at top and bottom. Each represents the mythical bird, Garuda,hovering over the Daoist Eastern Ocean from which rise the Three Islands ofthe Immortals. Garuda originated in Hinduism as the destroyer of serpents(nagas) and the vehicle of the god Vishnu. In Buddhism, Garuda is thevehicle of the Bodhisattva, Vajrapani who is represented in the centralpainting. Faithful to Himalayan tradition, Garuda has human arms, hands,and legs with bird's feet. These panels are among the very few Sino-Tibetanembroideries that can solidly be attributed to the Yuan dynasty.Although both Garuda panels are complete, their original use is not known.At an unknown time, they were combined with the 17th-centurypainting ofVajrapani and with miscellaneous needleloop embroidery fragments to formthe present thangka.
Related Image Identifier Link:
CMA_.1989.11.tif
