White Tara and Green Tara

1450–1500

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 253

In this unique arrangement of an extremely rare subject, two Buddhist savioresses (taras) are seated on lotus thrones rising from pools set in a mountainous backdrop. The White Tara, represented with the multiple eyes of omniscience, sits in meditation posture, while the Green Tara hangs one leg pendant. Both lower one hand in the boon-giving varada-mudra. The two wives of the first king of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, were understood to be emanations of Tara; the princess from Nepal is identified with White Tara and the Chinese princess with Green Tara. As King Songtsen Gampo is accepted as a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva and the two taras depicted here are understood to evoke the historical figures credited with establishing Buddhism in Tibet. A Kashmiri influence is detectable in the Guge school, seen here in the slender-waisted female figures and their distinctive attire, which mirrors Kashmiri conventions.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: White Tara and Green Tara
Date: 1450–1500
Culture: Western Tibet (Guge)
Medium: Distemper on cloth
Dimensions: Image: 20 1/4 x 20 in. (51.4 x 50.8 cm)
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Zimmerman Family Collection, Purchase, Oscar L. Tang Gift, in honor of Agnes Hsu, 2012
Object Number: 2012.460
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

In the same gallery

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Sadaksari-Lokeshvara Surrounded by Manifestations and Monks, Distemper, gold and ink on cloth, Tibet — Sadaksari-Lokeshvara Surrounded by Manifestations and Monks
Tibet
late 15th century

Vaishravana, Guardian of Buddhism and Protector of Riches, Distemper on cloth, Tibet — Vaishravana, Guardian of Buddhism and Protector of Riches
Tibet
15th century

Mahakala, Protector of the Tent, Distemper on cloth, Central Tibet — Mahakala, Protector of the Tent
Central Tibet
ca. 1500

Chakrasamvara with His Consort Vajravarahi, Distemper on cotton, Central Tibet — Chakrasamvara with His Consort Vajravarahi
Central Tibet
1450–1500

Portrait of Munchen Sangye Rinchen, the Eighth Abbot of Ngor Monastery, Distemper and gold on cloth, Tibet — Portrait of Munchen Sangye Rinchen, the Eighth Abbot of Ngor Monastery
Tibet
late 16th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.