Ritual Crown with the Five Transcendent Buddhas

late 14th–early 15th century

Not on view

Such crowns were worn by monks conducting rituals and were often part of dance costumes used in public ceremonial performances. Each of the five registers contains one of the Tathagata Buddhas (right to left): Ratnasambhava (yellow), Amitabha (red), Vairochana (white), Amoghasiddhi (green), and Akshobhya (blue). With Vairochana at center, these Buddhas preside over the directional Pure Lands. A Newari artist working in Tibet probably was responsible for this amazing crown, which is one of the earliest examples to survive.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Ritual Crown with the Five Transcendent Buddhas
Date: late 14th–early 15th century
Culture: Tibet
Medium: Opaque watercolor and gold on board
Dimensions: Each panel: 7 1/2 × 4 7/16 in. (19 × 11.2 cm)
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Gift of Jeffrey Kossak, The Kronos Collections, 1985
Object Number: 1985.391
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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