03 mai 2008
Temple strut with male deity, Nepal, 14th-15th c.
Temple strut with male deity, Nepal, 14th-15th c.
Wood with pigments, H. 118 cm.
Carlos Cruañas. Mallorca Street, 236 3°2a, 08008 Barcelona, Spain - Tel: + 34 934 871 409 - Fax: + 34 932 040 671 - Email: carlos@carloscruanas.com - Website: www.carloscruanas.com
Jambudvipa and its Continents, Rajasthan or Gujarat. India, 15th Century
Jambudvipa and its Continents, Rajasthan or Gujarat. India, 15th Century
Pigments on cloth, 70cm. X 73cm.
In the Jain philosophy the cosmos (loka) is a reality, and is called substance (dravya). Jain cosmology considers the universe divided in three worlds (triloka): the lower (adholoka) the upper (urdhaloka) and the middle world (madhialoka). The middle world is formed by countless rings of lands or islands (dvipas), surrounded by different oceans (samudras). It is the smallest of the worlds, but the most important, where humans and animals live, tirthankaras are born and liberation can be accomplished.
This diagram shows the center of the middle world: Jambudvipa, the island of the pink apple tree (our world) with Mt Meru in its center, divided in seven continents by mountain chains and surrounded by Lavasanamudra, the salad ocean. Encircling them there are two islands, (Dhatakkikhandavipa and Puskaradvipa) surrounded by a high mountain chain beyond which persons nor animals can be born and the concept of time doesn’t exist any more.
The sacred geography of the Jambudvipa describes a mythological realm, that has its correspondence with ancient Indian geography, but the fundamental question is its morality and soteriologic aspect: among these seven continents only in two and a half liberation can be obtained (karmabhumis), the rest are lands of bliss (bogabhumis) and lucky humans that live in this utopic world can not practice ascetic and, therefore, can not accomplish liberation.
Carlos Cruañas. Mallorca Street, 236 3°2a, 08008 Barcelona, Spain - Tel: + 34 934 871 409 - Fax: + 34 932 040 671 - Email: carlos@carloscruanas.com - Website: www.carloscruanas.com
Two Goddesses of a Yogini Group, Uttar Pradesh. India, 11th Century AD, Pink sandstone
Two Goddesses of a Yogini Group, Uttar Pradesh. India, 11th Century AD, Pink sandstone
Note: In the Kaula and Tantric traditions, Yoginîs were regarded both as flesh-and-blood women with whom male practitioners had intercourse and devouring semidivine beings who were the object of worship cults. [1] Subsequently assimilated by traditional Sanskrit religious cult, they were also considered to represent different aspects of the Great Goddess or Mahâdevî and, as such, were given a preeminent status. [2]
This fragment is particularly interesting because it combines two of the principal aspects of the Yoginîs: a mother with the appearance of a beautiful woman holding her child and a fruit, and a second figure with woman’s body and a mare’s head, holding a bowl and her child with foal’s head.
The Yoginîs are esoteric deities from whom the devout besought magic powers. Temples dedicated to them are found throughout Northern India.
This panel is almost certainly from the area of Rikhiyam in Uttar Pradesh. In this case, it belongs to a group of four.[3]
1 White, David Gordon. The Kiss of the Yoginî. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003:8-10.
2 Dehejia, Vidhya. The Great Goddess. Washington: Arthur M. Sacker Gallery/Smithsonian Institution, 1999: 242.
3 Dehejia, Vidhya. Yogini Cult and Temples. New Delhi: The National Museum, 1986: 118-121.
Carlos Cruañas. Mallorca Street, 236 3°2a, 08008 Barcelona, Spain - Tel: + 34 934 871 409 - Fax: + 34 932 040 671 - Email: carlos@carloscruanas.com - Website: www.carloscruanas.com
02 mai 2008
Buddha and disciples, West Tibet, 14th century
Buddha and disciples, West Tibet, 14th century
Distemper on cotton, cm. 42 x 51,5 h. (16" 1/2 x 20" 1/4 h.)
Carlo Cristi. Via Moscati 6, Milano 20154, Italy - Tel: +39 023491528 - Fax: +39 023491528 - Email: carlocristi@tin.it
Naro Dakini, Tibet, 14th c.
Naro Dakini, Tibet, 14th c., Stone, cm. 8 h.
Carlo Cristi. Via Moscati 6, Milano 20154, Italy - Tel: +39 023491528 - Fax: +39 023491528 - Email: carlocristi@tin.it
01 mai 2008
A Gilt Copper Dragon's Leg, Tibet, 17th-18th c.
A Gilt Copper Dragon's Leg, Tibet, 17th-18th c.
Powerfully modeled open clawed dragon talon. The leg with scales boldly defined. 15 1/2" - 39cm
Brandt Asian Art Gallery: 20 Georgian House, 10 Bury Street, St James's, London SW1Y 6AA - Tel: +44 (0)20 7930 9368 - Fax: +44 (0)20 7930 9370 - Email: brandt@nildram.co.uk - Website: www.brandtasianart.com
30 avril 2008
A tantric altar panel from Kagyu school, Tibet, 15th century
A tantric altar panel from Kagyu school, Tibet, 15th century
A tantric relief panel of Kagyu school, in copper repoussé fire gilded, featuring kirtimukha holding a garland of jewels. From the lotus flower filled with the jewels sits a cloud from where two circles enshrine an ascetic holding a long sash and a seated lama at center. H: 62 cm
Au Lion Des Neiges, Sydney Antique Centre, Gallery 11, 531 South Dowling Street, Surry Hills 2010 Sydney NSW Australia - Tel: 61-2-9361 3244 or 0402 670 400 - Email: mfatton@optusnet.com.au
Clay votive ( tsa tsa ), Clay, Tibet, 12th-13th century
Clay votive ( tsa tsa ), Clay, Tibet, 12th-13th century
A clay votive featuring seated Sakyamuni Buddha surrounded by two standing bodhisattvas and several stupas of early type. H: 12 cm
Au Lion Des Neiges, Sydney Antique Centre, Gallery 11, 531 South Dowling Street, Surry Hills 2010 Sydney NSW Australia - Tel: 61-2-9361 3244 or 0402 670 400 - Email: mfatton@optusnet.com.au
Shrine - A copper gilded shrine with turquoises - Tibet - 19th century
Shrine - A copper gilded shrine with turquoises - Tibet - 19th century
A small mandorla in copper repoussé fire gilded with blue carved turquoises. H: 12 cm
Au Lion Des Neiges, Sydney Antique Centre, Gallery 11, 531 South Dowling Street, Surry Hills 2010 Sydney NSW Australia - Tel: 61-2-9361 3244 or 0402 670 400 - Email: mfatton@optusnet.com.au
27 avril 2008
Tigerskin as ritual apron - Tibet - 19th century
Tigerskin as ritual apron - Tibet - 19th century - painted and embroidered cotton - 64 x 47 cm
Astamangala - Kerkstraat 168, 1017 GS - Amsterdam, Holland - Tel: +31-20-6234402 - Fax: +31-20-6234402 - Email: asta@xs4all.nl - Website: www.astamangala.com