Beschreibung:

A magnificent and important early embroidered Mandala of Chakrasamvara, 'The Wheel of Supreme Bliss' Central Asia or China, mid to late 14th century the thangka depicting 'the Wheel of Supreme Bliss', with Samvara, representing the compassion of Buddha, appearing in the center embracing his consort Vajravarahi, embodying the Buddha's omniscient wisdom. Samvara in blue with four faces and twelve arms wielding ritual instruments including khatvanga, trishula, pasha, damaru, kapala, the three heads of the Hindu deity Brahma, and his principal attributes the ghanta and vajra, while displaying a white elephant skin in his uppermost hands; stepping vigorously to the right in alidha posture trampling the Hindu deities Bhairava and Kalaratri. The structure of the mandala consisting of concentric circles of deities and ambrosia-filled kalasha vessels, over red, blue, green and yellow quadrants, all within palace gates, encircled by eight cremation grounds, shmashana, on a blue field within a vajra border and a ring of fire. The upper register depicting the two-armed form of Samvara in the center, at the far left a dark-skinned and long-haired figure, possibly an Indian teacher, and at the far right, a Tibetan lama sporting a moustache and short goatee, wearing the distinctive black hat of the Karmapa sect of the Kagyu order. The lower register depicting four-armed figures flanked by protector deities, at the right, Lhamo seated on a reclining mule, and to the left, four-armed Mahakala in blue, the lower corners with donor figures dressed in Mongol or Central Asian robes , at the right, a large possibly male figure in black robes holding a lotus scepter with three smaller attendants, and at the left, four male figures in robes with detailed borders holding lotus, offering bowl and long-handled censers flanked by two smaller attendants. The green silk ground embroidered in floss silk, with further quilted appliques of dyed silk and cotton providing color variation in the ground-fields, with couched threads and couched slivers of silver foil generously used throughout as detailing in the crowns, canopies and borders. 91 3/4 by 70 in., 233 by 178 cm