TIBET, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

The present painting depicts the female deity of longevity, White Tara, who is considered to be the tantric manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, embodying the fertile aspects of compassion. She is seated on a white lotus in a meditative position with both legs folded under her, surrounded by a circular aureole amidst an open landscape with offerings before her. Her right hand rests on her knee in a gesture of granting wishes, bestowing the infinite generosity, while her left hand holds a lotus flower blossoming over her shoulder. She has seven slender eyes, the third one on her forehead and one on each palms and feet, symbolizing her compassionate vigilance to see all the suffering of the world .
The present silk painting of White Tara is a phenomenal example not only for the fine silk canvas but particularly for its superb execution of techniques adopted from the traditional Chinese painting. The color palette is uncommonly vibrant yet elegant with deft and delicate brushstrokes. The gradated green washes of the gradually receding foreground, with nebulous silhouettes of cumulus clouds in the distance, lend a sense of eternity to the prayers and devotions. The precise brushstrokes of the outlines and detailed depictions of the deity against a contrasting unpainted background pay homage to the traditional Chinese visual technique, liubai, accentuating the aesthetic qualities of the silk and leaving space for further imagination.