LACMA

ShopMembershipMyLACMATickets
LACMA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@lacma.org
(323) 857-6000
Sign up to receive emails
Subscribe
© Museum Associates 2025

Museum Hours

Monday

11 am–6 pm

Tuesday

11 am–6 pm

Wednesday

Closed

Thursday

11 am–6 pm

Friday

11 am–8 pm

Saturday

10 am–7 pm

Sunday

10 am–7 pm

 

  • About LACMA
  • Jobs
  • Building LACMA
  • Host An Event
  • Unframed
  • Press
  • FAQs
  • Log in to MyLACMA
  • Privacy Policy
© Museum Associates 2025
Collections

Unknown
Book of Designs for Masksearly 20th century

Not on view
Two painted manuscript pages divided into grid cells, each containing a frontal deity or animal face in vivid red, green, yellow, and white pigments on black grounds, with Devanagari script labels
Illustrated manuscript page with ten panels arranged in a grid, each depicting a deity or spirit face against black or red backgrounds, with Devanagari inscriptions. Faces include animal-headed, multi-eyed, and crowned figures rendered in red, gold, and white pigments with detailed circular earrings and ornamental crowns.
Ink and wash manuscript pages on aged, stained paper, showing sequential small figures in various seated and standing poses arranged in grid formations, with lines of Devanagari script above and below the figural registers.
Manuscript page with ink drawings arranged in a grid of cells on aged, stained paper. Upper section shows figures in seated and kneeling poses with small red accents; lower section contains partially faded figures, columns of Chinese or Japanese characters, and reclining figures, with significant brown water damage throughout.
Aged manuscript folio with lines of Devanagari script above a grid of small ink drawings depicting standing and seated figures with multiple heads or faces; lower portion of page heavily stained and worn, with visible foxing and tears.
Painted manuscript pages with eight deity faces arranged in pairs on black grounds, each face rendered in a distinct color—green, orange, white, yellow, pale, red, gold, and multi-colored—wearing elaborate red and gold crowns with floral ornaments; Devanagari script labels below each figure.
Illustrated manuscript page with four numbered panels on black grounds, each depicting a deity or ritual face with Devanagari script labels. Top left: a naturalistic animal face with tawny fur. Top right: a fierce face with bared teeth, circular third eye, and ornate red crown with jeweled ornaments. Bottom left: a red-complexioned face with white tilaka marking and gold disc earrings. Bottom right: an orange face with swirling linear patterns, third eye marking, and elaborate circular ear ornaments. Pink border surrounds all panels.
Illustrated manuscript page with four black-ground panels, each depicting a deity face in red and dark pigments with Devanagari script labels. Faces show large eyes, elaborate circular earrings with dot-work ornament, and varied expressions; lower-left face is dark blue with flame-like hair and fangs.
Manuscript painting on black ground, two side-by-side panels framed in pink. Left panel depicts an elephant-headed deity with white coloring, red tilak markings, and a tusk, with Devanagari script below. Right panel shows a golden-complexioned deity wearing an elaborate red and blue crown adorned with jewels and skull motifs, large circular earrings, and a third eye mark, with Devanagari script below and above.
Manuscript painting on black ground showing two deity faces side by side: left figure with green skin, white tilaka mark, and circular gold earrings; right figure with golden skin, red and blue crown with decorative medallions, and ornate earrings. Devanagari script labels below each figure. Numbered 99 and 92 at top.
Manuscript page with four painted deity faces on black grounds, arranged in a two-by-two grid with pink borders. Top row: a pale-complexioned face and a golden-yellow face, each wearing ornate red and gold crowns with jeweled pendants and circular earrings. Bottom row: a white-complexioned bearded face with red forehead markings, and a red-complexioned face with a green bindi and diamond-shaped earrings. Devanagari script labels appear beneath each figure.
Manuscript page divided into four black-ground panels with pink borders, three panels containing painted deity and creature faces: upper left shows a yellow-skinned human face with mustache, red circular earrings, and a tilaka mark; upper right depicts a fierce tiger-faced figure with bared teeth, elaborate red and gold crown with skull ornaments, and large earrings; lower left shows a brown animal-faced figure with pointed ears and a small human face at its chest; lower right panel is blank. Devanagari script labels appear below each figure.
Artist or Maker
Unknown
Title
Book of Designs for Masks
Place Made
Nepal, Bhaktapur (?)
Date Made
early 20th century
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; partially varnished
Dimensions
Each folio: 4 7/8 x 8 7/8 in. (12.38 x 22.54 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Robert S. Coles
Accession Number
M.82.169.26
Classification
Books
Collecting Area
South and Southeast Asian Art
Selected Bibliography
  • Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Nepal. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; University of California Press, 1985.