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Tibet and Nepal, painted on cloth

Himalayan Painting

Thangkas and mandalas from Tibet and the Kathmandu Valley, the oldest of them close to eight hundred years old. A green Buddha under an arch of small seated figures, Mahakala in a ring of fire, the sun god’s mandala circled by its planets. Mineral colour ground into distemper and painted on cotton, in deep reds and greens that have kept their heat.

As a puzzle

Dense the whole way across, which is a kindness. Every piece has a face or a flame or a scrap of gold in it, so there is nowhere blank to get stranded. The mandalas are the hard ones, because a mandala is built four ways from its middle and each quarter answers the other three. All twelve are taller than they are wide.

A good size here: 60–200 pieces.

Subjects here: Sacred Art

14 pictures, pick one to build

Thangka Unknown artist, late 18th century Guru Dragpo, Padmasambhava’s Fierce Emanation Unknown artist, 18th century Vaishravana, the Guardian of Buddhism and Protector of Riches Unknown artist, 15th century Mandala of Raktayamari Mikyo Dorje, late 14th century Hevajra Mandala Sakya School, 16th century Mandala of the Sun God Surya Kitaharasa, likely 1379 Mahasiddha Jnanatapa Unknown artist, ca. 1350 Mahakala, Protector of the Tent Unknown artist, ca. 1500 Mandala of Jnanadakini Unknown artist, late 14th century Buddha Amoghasiddhi with Eight Bodhisattvas Unknown artist, ca. 1200–50 Buddhist Attendant Unknown artist, late 18th century Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi Unknown artist, 1575–1600 Goddess Tripurasundari Unknown artist, Early 20th century Amitayus, the Buddha of Eternal Life Unknown artist, 11th or early 12th century