059
The Benefactor, Six-Armed Mahakala ("Great Black/Time")
Thangka, painting
Cotton support with opaque mineral pigments in waterbased (collagen) binder
21.0 x 26.5 inches
Southeastern Tibet?
Ca. 16th or 17th century
Folk tradition
Strikingly different from other images in the collection, this painting is indicative of the Tibetan folk style. Works by artists untrained in a specific school of painting generally constitute the folk tradition in Tibet. Although whimsical in appearance, the painting makes for a powerful representation of Mahakala, the "Great Black" or "Great Time" (implying time as the destroyer). Here, he is shown in his six-armed form overpowering the elephant-headed God, Ganesha. In both Buddhism and Hinduism, Ganesha is the remover of obstacles; however, in this exceptional case, he is the personification of hinderances to enlightenment.
Chaya Chandrasekhar
Museum#: 97.082
Huntington Archive Image Scan #: T1055