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- in the top corners. Below her and flanked by two protectors are the dancing skeletons known as the Citipati, the lords of burial grounds, representing the perishability of all worldly phenomena.
IV Vajrabhairava form of Yamantaka
late 18th/early 19th century
gouache on cotton, 49.4 x 36.9 cm Private Collection
For description of this deity, see no. 14.
V Gesar
19th century, (Sino-Mongolian?) gouache on cotton, 29.8 x 24.3 cm Private Collection
This handsome thanka has a border of cloud scrolls and the Chinese character shou (longevity). The central image clad in white armour on a white horse is Gesar, a popular character in Tibetan literature. Some legends mention that he is from Ladakh and date him back at least to the eleventh century. Some stories link him to the pre-Buddhist mythology of Mongolia, and according to Stein, his name may even be derived from the title of Caesar of Rome. To the Tibetans, Gesar was a great warrior who travelled the world destroying demons. It is believed when he died he became a buddha, and that he will return when Buddhism is endangered to save man�kind. In this thanka, Gesar is surrounded by eight horsemen, who are his warrior brothers. Above Gesar is a wrathful protector and below him are ritual objects on poles bordering a number of animals�a monkey, tiger, yak, camels, ram, goat, horses, etc. In the middle at the bottom is a suit of armour and a rifle. The unusual nature of thisthanka and the prominent trident (the standard of Genghis Khan) surmounting Gesar�s helmet seems to offer some basis for a Mongolian attribution.
VI Ewer
19th century
copper, brass, gilt, blue paste, ht. 27.3 cm Gift of Mrs. H. R. Gale
AGGV 58.53
This handsome ewer has a cylindrical lid with a lotus bud-shaped knob. The crown-shaped crest at the front has a fierce animal mask. The handle is in the shape of a makara, while the spout emerges from the mouth of a makara. The body of the ewer is divided by three horizontal and four vertical hammered gilt brass strips with blue paste inlay flowers. On the body of the ewer are four flowers of blue paste inlay and two flowers of hammered pewter.
VII
Charm Box (top)
late 19th/early 20th century
silver, copper, inlay of turquoise and blue paste
Gift of Mrs. H. R. Gale
AGGV
Ear Pendants (bottom)
19th century
silver, turquoise, I. 11.8 cm
Given in memory of John H. Blinko by his wife,
Catherine Blinko
AGGV
This quartrefoil-shaped charm box (gau) is inlaid with turquoise and with blue paste in imitation of turquoise. For more on charm boxes, see [85]. The wonderful pair of turquoise ear pendants illustrated below the gau are of a type worn by women of the Lhasa area. Since the pendant is quite heavy it would hang from both the ear and the hair. The mosaic of turquoise, outlined with silver pearled wire, suggests a lotus bud. Turquoise is the most cherished stone of the Tibetans.
BLACK AND WHITE PLATES
1 Scenes from the Life of the Buddha
18th century
gouache on cotton, 61 x 43.1 cm Gift of Mr. A. S. Wyllie AGGV 63.176
The large figure in the centre of this crowded com�position is the historical Buddha Sakyamuni (Gau�tama Siddhartha), who lived c. 550-478 B.C. He is seen here with the symbolic earth witness hand gesture. This symbolizes his calling the Earth Spirit to witness that he has overcome the temptations of Mara (the personification of Evil). Having overcome Mara, Sakyamuni attains enlightenment. He is surrounded by scenes representing episodes of his life or stories of his previous lives (jatakas) separated from each other by clouds or walled compounds. There is a noticeable influence from
Chinese painting in the representation of the landscape, architecture and dress of the minor figures.
2 The Thirty-five Buddhas of the Confession
late 18th/early 19th century
gouache on cotton, 55.2 x 40.2 cm
Gift of Mr. A. S. Wyllie
AGGV 63.177
This type of thanka is a visual presentation of the omnipresence of the Buddha power in every direc�tion and the universality of the Buddha�s compas�sion to help everyone to purify themselves from their past and present sins. The infinity of space is sym�bolized by the number of thirty-five, representing the thirty-two points of the compass, and the Centre, Zenith and Nadir. Because the thirty-five Buddhas
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