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Embroidery of Amitaprabha Bodhisattva
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Embroidery of Amitaprabha Bodhisattva
CHINA, Tibet; Late 14th–early 15th century; Silk; 41.3 x 19.4 cm; Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, USA
This embroidery, which is the seventh of the set of sixteen scrolls, was originally kept in a Tibetan monastery. According to an inscription on the back, this image is Amitaprabha Bodhisattva.
Amitaprabha wears a crown and has a colorful nimbus and mandorla. The body is of a light shade of red and the bare chest is adorned with a necklace. Amitaprabha is clad in a dhoti and a robe covering both shoulders. Seated in full lotus position upon a lotus throne, the hands of the figure form the vitarka (teaching) mudra. Encircling Amitaprabha is an arc consisting of various forms, including makaras, flowers, and scrolling vines. In the upper register, there is a canopy flanked by colorful cloud patterns. In the lower register, there is a vase out of which arise seven lotuses, supporting auspicious symbols. The background is dark blue and the borders consist of a scrolling vine design.
This work was embroidered in satin to create delicate shading and modulation from one color to another to produce a painterly effect. |
