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Mandala

Unknown

1479

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

Mandala is a 1479 paint by Unknown, a Renaissance work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1479 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This mandala shows a circle filled with fierce deities and bright colors. The smoke from old incense left dark patches on the paper. It was probably made by a monk in a temple. This painting mixes styles from Tibet and Nepal. The strong colors and sharp shapes help people focus while meditating. It’s older than most Chinese Buddhist art here. Look at this at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

A silk scroll from 1479 depicts a mandala featuring forty-two fierce Buddhist protector deities, each holding weapons and standing atop subdued demons. The darkened surface suggests prolonged exposure to incense smoke within a temple setting. The composition reflects Tibetan and Nepalese influences, introduced to Chinese Buddhist art during the Yuan dynasty under imperial patronage. An inscription confirms its creation during the Chenghua emperor’s reign, and it was likely obtained from a Beijing temple established under Kublai Khan, a center for Tibetan Buddhist teachings in the Ming period.

Read the full account in the museum source.