Western Tibet

西藏西部

In the 11th century, Muslim invasions forced monks and artisans to leave northwest India for the Guge kingdom in western Tibet. In this way, art in western Tibet inherited the northwest Indian tradition that is characterised by wide faces and flat facial features. Other features include simple garment design and lotus petals and halos placed behind the figures.

11世紀以降，穆斯林勢力逐步擴張至印度西北，眾多僧人、藝匠離開當地寺廟，帶同法器到藏西古格王國躲避，故其造像風格承襲西北印度傳統，面形較寬，輪廓扁平，衣飾、底座蓮瓣、頭光及背光設計簡潔樸素。

Thangka of Avalokiteshvara and Two Offering Goddesses

Western Tibet, 15th century

Pigment and gold on cloth, H. 43 x W. 67 cm

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The Avalokiteshvara is seated on red lotus petals in the True Sitting pose (Sattvaparyanka asana), his right hand holding a strand of prayer beads over his heart. His left hand clasps the thin stalk of a deep red lotus that is in full bloom above his left shoulder. He wears the crown, jewellery and dhoti of Indian royal apparel as well as a white cloth veil behind his crown. His head is surrounded by an ovoid red nimbus with radiant gold flames. Such representations were popular in Kashmiri art and thus inherited by the Guge Kingdom in western Tibet.

The two goddesses which flank Avalokiteshvara also have an ovoid red nimbus with a discreet gold outline, while their voluptuous blue bodies are seated on gold lotus petals within a spherical aura of gold and white. The goddess Vajrapushpa (Vajra Flower), to the left of Avalokiteshvara, has her two hands positioned to hold the long stalk of a lotus plant with three red blossoms capturing her gaze. The goddess to the right of Avalokiteshvara, Vajramala (Vajra Garland), has her left hand poised in the vajra fist. Both goddesses and Avalokiteshvara have their palms adorned with henna as a sacred mark of piety.

觀世音及金剛部菩薩唐卡

藏西，15 世紀

布帛、顏料、黃金，高43、闊67厘米

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觀世音結跏趺坐於紅蓮上，右手持念珠於胸前，左手執蓮花細莖，暗紅蓮花於肩上盛開。配戴冠冕、珠寶，穿上裹裙，皆為印度皇室著裝，冠冕後覆以白紗，帶火焰紋背光。此等特徵多見於喀什米爾藝術，藏西古格王國亦承襲其遺風。

隨侍觀世音左右的金剛部菩薩坐於金色蓮瓣上，帶橢圓紅色背光，外緣以金線勾勒。通體藍色，體態豐滿，坐於金色蓮花瓣上，金白色聖光環繞其身。觀世音左側為金剛華菩薩，正細看手持的三朵紅蓮。右側為金剛蔓菩薩，結金剛拳印。兩位菩薩手掌皆施彩繪，以示虔敬。