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Collections

Unknown
Book of Iconographic Drawingslate 19th - early 20th century

Not on view
Ink drawing on yellow paper with five multi-armed Tibetan Buddhist deity figures, ranging from serene seated forms to a large wrathful standing figure, with Tibetan script inscriptions
Ink drawing on yellowed paper depicting a Tibetan mandala with concentric circular borders of flame and lotus motifs surrounding a square palace structure with a central deity figure; below, two multi-armed deity figures with crowns and halos, rendered in fine line work.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper of a multi-armed, multi-headed Tantric deity in yab-yum embrace, standing on prostrate figures atop a lotus base, surrounded by a halo; multiple hands holding ritual implements and weapons; Tibetan script inscription at top.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper depicting five multi-armed Hindu deities arranged in two rows, each labeled with Devanagari script; central upper figure is seated with flaming hair and multiple attributes, flanked by two figures with halos; lower row shows a multi-headed elephant-headed deity at left and a many-armed goddess mounted on an animal at right, with additional Devanagari inscription along the bottom edge.
Ink drawing on yellow paper with a grid of twelve numbered panels, each containing a seated or crouching deity figure with a halo, holding various attributes; Devanagari script labels each panel; fine line work throughout.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper depicting eight multi-armed deity figures arranged in two rows, each seated on a different animal mount including an elephant, peacock, and lion. Each figure wears a crown and halo and holds various objects. Devanagari script labels appear below each figure, with a partial third row visible at bottom.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper, nine panels arranged in a three-by-three grid depicting multi-armed deity figures with crowns and weapons including tridents and swords; figures are seated, standing, or mounted on animals and vehicles; Devanagari script labels each panel; fine outline style with minimal shading.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper featuring a grid of Hindu deities, each seated or mounted on their vahana (animal vehicle), with multiple arms in various mudras; Devanagari inscriptions label each figure; loose fine-line style throughout.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper, grid of deities arranged around a central standing multi-armed figure within an architectural shrine, each deity depicted in seated posture with multiple arms, halos, and attributes; Devanagari script labels beneath each figure.
Ink-printed manuscript page on yellowed paper depicting eleven multi-armed deity figures arranged in three registers, each with a halo, standing or seated on lotus bases, with Devanagari script labels below each figure.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper, folded manuscript page depicting multiple Hindu or Buddhist deities arranged in four horizontal registers. Central figures include multi-armed standing deities with halos, flanked by smaller seated figures. Fine line work throughout, with Devanagari script labels beneath figures.
Woodblock or ink print on yellowed paper, folded into four horizontal registers containing twelve individual deity figures in outline style, each standing or seated on lotus bases with halos, multiple arms holding ritual attributes, with Tibetan script captions below each figure.
Printed manuscript page on yellowed paper with twelve panels arranged in a four-row grid, each depicting a Hindu or Buddhist deity with halo, multiple arms, and attributes; figures are shown seated on animals or standing on lotus bases, with Devanagari script captions beneath each panel.
Ink drawing on aged paper, three registers of Hindu or Buddhist deities. Top row: central multi-armed figure with halo standing on a deer, flanked by two smaller drum-playing figures on pedestals. Middle row: elephant-headed deity at left, central multi-armed figure, and seated figure at right. Bottom register: large multi-armed deity in circular mandorla at center, flanked by two seated figures, with scrolling cloud forms. Devanagari script labels beneath each figure.
Ink drawing on aged paper with two registers: above, a multi-armed, multi-headed deity with large fan-like arrangements of smaller figures flanking each side, a reclining figure on clouds below, and a standing attendant at left; below, a crowned deity riding a mounted animal amid swirling clouds, rendered in fine outline on yellowed paper with visible fold lines.
Ink drawing on paper with two registers and Devanagari script captions. Upper scene depicts a group of figures with drums outside a building, and two larger figures — one with an animal head — gesturing toward each other inside a crosshatched interior with flames. Lower register shows three elaborately costumed figures with ornate headdresses and ceremonial parasols, with a smaller standing figure between them.
Ink drawing on paper with three horizontal registers of figures and Devanagari inscriptions between scenes. Top register: a seated group with musicians holding wind instruments. Middle register: crowned and animal-headed figures in a court assembly. Bottom register: figures around a structure with flames, including a large animal-headed figure gesturing toward another figure.
Ink drawing on paper, vertically oriented manuscript page with three registers: a multi-armed deity figure at top, a grid of nine panels each depicting a coiled serpent with a raised multi-headed hood and stacked circular forms, each labeled with Devanagari script, and at bottom a scene of seated and standing figures with cannons or firearms.
Illustrated manuscript page with multiple horizontal registers of fine ink drawings depicting figures, architecture, and landscapes, separated by lines of Devanagari script captions; scenes include groups of figures, animals, trees, and multi-story buildings rendered in delicate line work.
Manuscript page with columns of text in Devanagari script arranged in a numbered grid, with faint ruled lines and a partial illustrated border visible along the bottom edge.
Ink drawing on paper, accordion-folded manuscript page with a grid of numbered sequential narrative scenes depicting figures, architectural interiors, landscapes with mountains, and a seated Buddha figure; fine line work throughout.
Ink drawing on paper, grid of approximately 22 numbered sequential narrative scenes depicting figures in architectural settings, outdoor landscapes, and interiors, rendered in fine line work with Himalayan or South Asian stylistic conventions.
Ink drawing on paper, vertically arranged in registers. Upper sections show five multi-armed Hindu deities with halos, some mounted on vehicles, with Bengali script labels beneath each figure. Lower registers contain twelve numbered narrative scene panels depicting figures in architectural settings and outdoor landscapes, rendered in fine line work.
Ink drawing on paper depicting twelve multi-armed Hindu deities arranged in four rows of three, each figure with a halo, holding various attributes, mounted on animals or standing on pedestals, with Bengali script labels beneath each figure.
Ink drawing on aged paper arranged in a grid of approximately twenty panels, each depicting a multi-armed deity figure with halo, some standing and some seated in lotus position, with Devanagari script labels beneath each figure.
Ink drawing on paper arranged in a grid of fifteen panels, each depicting a multi-armed Hindu deity with halo, standing or seated on a pedestal, with Devanagari inscriptions below each figure; fine line work throughout.
Ink drawing on yellowed paper depicting six multi-armed deities in two registers. Upper register features a large central figure with multiple heads and many arms within a circular halo, flanked by two smaller standing figures on pedestals. Lower register shows three smaller multi-armed figures, each with halos, adorned with garlands and crowns. Decorative cloud scrollwork borders the top edge. Lines of Devanagari script appear between registers and below the lower central figure.
Artist or Maker
Unknown
Title
Book of Iconographic Drawings
Place Made
Nepal
Date Made
late 19th - early 20th century
Medium
Ink on paper
Dimensions
5 1/2 x 11 3/8 x 1/2 in. (13.97 x 28.89 x 1.27 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Robert S. Coles
Accession Number
M.82.169.2
Classification
Drawings
Collecting Area
South and Southeast Asian Art
Curatorial Notes

This accordion-fold book (thyasaphu) of thirty-six folios of orpiment (haritala) paper is among the best-preserved and most complete iconographic sources of Newar Buddhist and Hindu imagery. It contains 212 detailed representations of the locally significant Tantric Buddhist deities, such as the eight Mother Goddesses, the primordial goddess Guhyeshvari, and a fully developed iconography of Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi. There are also illustrations of the life of the Buddha and Buddhist moral fables (avadanas). The book also features Hindu images, such as twelve forms of Vishnu and Shiva, each form associated with a particular month, as well as Vishnu’s twelve avatars and the eight most famous Shivalingas of Nepal.

Selected Bibliography
  • Huntington, John C. and Dina Bangdel. The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art. Columbus: The Columbus Museum of Art; Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2003.
  • Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Nepal. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; University of California Press, 1985.