Leaf from a Gandavyuha Manuscript, late 11th-early 12th century
Unknown artist, Nepalexpand_more
Ink and opaque watercolor on palm leafexpand_more
The Margaret McMillan Webber Fundexpand_more 95.86
Not on Viewexpand_more
This palm leaf manuscript page was once part of a larger manuscript called the Gandavyuha, which told the tale of Sudhana, a young pilgrim who seeks out multiple teachers in an effort to attain enlightenment. Sudhana is depicted by a tree against a stippled blue background on his way to visit a guru. The painting style reveals connections with northeast India, likely indexing the migration of Indian monks to monasteries in the Himalayas, which occurred on a large scale between the 11th and 13th centuries. The manuscript consisted of a stack of multiple leaves bound together through the two holes at the center, and would have been easy to transport. This leaf is one of the oldest extant examples of South Asian manuscript painting.
Details
- Title
- Leaf from a Gandavyuha Manuscript
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 95.86
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.