Item Type: Tibetan Antique Thangka
Dimensions: Framed Height: 23.23 in (59 cm) Width: 29.92 in (76 cm)
Style: Mian Tang School
Materials and Techniques: Mineral Pigment
Place of Origin: Tibet
Period: Qing Dynasty
Date of Manufacture: 18th Century
Condition: Good
Early Tibetan-style Clay Sculpture with Mineral Colors depicting the Auspicious Tara Thangka. This is a thangka depicting the auspicious Tara created using the lost art of clay sculpture with mineral colors. This technique was prevalent during the Ming and late periods, but was lost by the mid-Qing dynasty. Historical records indicate that the monasteries producing such thangkas were highly skilled and produced top-quality works. Due to the loss of this technique, detailed information about its creation process is scarce. The thangka is crafted by layering clay on a wooden board, then allowing it to dry before applying mineral colors. This technique creates a strong sense of three-dimensionality, making it visually striking. The main reason why these clay sculpture thangkas can remain intact for centuries without cracking or weathering is the composition and proportion of the clay, which includes special additives. Unfortunately, as the technique has been lost, these thangkas are rare to find. A few of them were discovered in the collection of a senior practitioner in Qinghai, with this auspicious Tara being one of them.
The central figure of the auspicious Tara appears in a wrathful form, with a blue complexion and two arms. She wears a crown adorned with five skulls, and her pink hair resembles flames reaching to the sky. With three eyes, she gazes fiercely, furrows her brows, and reveals sharp white teeth, emphasizing her fierce and terrifying aspect. Adorned with circular earrings and necklaces, she wields a vajra in her right hand and holds a skull cup filled with blood in her left hand. Her legs are spread apart, and her feet are bare, draped in a large cloak, with billowing sleeves fluttering in the air, as if making a rustling sound. In a commanding posture, she sits sideways on the back of a mule, galloping through the rolling sea of blood. The flames behind Tara exude a strong tension and extraordinary momentum.
Due to the special clay sculpture technique, this thangka appears exceptionally three-dimensional and beautiful. After being remounted in a wooden frame, it can be directly hung up for display or worship, making it an excellent decorative or devotional piece.
