Painted Banner (Thangka) of Bodhisattva Maitreya Surrounded by his Retinue

Arts of Asia

16th century

Tibet
Southern Tibet

The bodhisattva Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, and the successor of Shakyamuni Buddha, is identifiable by the tiny, gold waterpot perched on the lotus near his shoulder at right. He is flanked by two other bodhisattvas; the green one is Vajrapani and the golden one is most likely Manjusri. Collectively, these three deities represent Shakyamuni Buddha’s virtues: Maitreya is the manifestation of his compassion, Manjusri is the manifestation of his wisdom; and Vajrapani is the manifestation of his power. Most of the deities in the margins form part of the bodhisattva’s retinue. The monk who officiated at the thangka’s consecration is at lower right in white.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Arts of Asia

Title: Painted Banner (Thangka) of Bodhisattva Maitreya Surrounded by his Retinue
Place: Tibet (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1501–1600
Medium: Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton
Dimensions: 50.2 × 39.7 cm (19 3/4 × 15 5/8 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Marilynn B. Alsdorf
Reference Number: 2014.1025
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Painted Banner (Thangka) of Bodhisattva Maitreya Surrounded by his Retinue

Currently Off View

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Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.