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Silk brocade tangka depicting Padmapani
Ming Dynasty, 14th/15th century
Height: 83.5 cm | 32 7/8 in
Width: 57 cm | 22 7/16 in
Click image for full-size version
Seated in dhyanasana with his right hand in varada mudra (the gesture of Charity), and the left hand in vitarka mudra (intellectual discussion) – Padmapani also holds the stem of a flowering lotus, in each hand. He wears a loose-fitting dhoti that leaves the feet and chest exposed, and the whole body is adorned with jewellery: an elaborate crown, pendant earrings, necklaces, arm bands, bracelets, a tasselled and bejewelled girdle at the hips, and ankle bracelets. The Bodhisattva is seated on a double lotus throne – raised on a multi-tiered platform, backed by a double mandorla, and decorated with floral images above a row of Buddhist and Daoist motifs. The outer mandorla is formed by creatures – both earthly and mythical – that rise in tiers, on each side, amongst floral scrolls; at the base are elephants, above them lions, then qilins, makaras, apsaras (heavenly musician or dancer gods) and a winged garuda amongst clouds, at the apex. The scene is composed of finely woven shades of blue, green, yellow, white, red and orange, with outlines in gold thread, all on a dark blue silk ground, and framed by a continuous border of lantsa inscription in gold brocade.
Almost certainly a product of the Imperial weaving studios set up by the early Ming Emperors, this brocade fits into the early 15th century Court style associated with the Imperial Workshops of the Forbidden City. The colours and forms are similar to those on other textile products of the period, and other types of decorative art. For example, stylistically, the throne is very similar to the famous Yonglo gilt bronze Sakyamuni in the collection of the British Museum as illustrated in Buddhism Art and Faith edited by W. Zwalf, British Museum Publications Limited, 1985 – frontispiece and no. 305.
Similar examples: Heavens’ Embroidered Cloths, One Thousand Years of Chinese Textiles, published by Urban Council of Hong Kong, and produced by Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1995 – figures 28, 29 and 30.
A carbon 14 test no. RCD 6670 on this tangka confirms the dating.
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