Who painted Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra"?

Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra" was painted by Unknown.

Where can I see Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra"?

Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra" is held by Detroit Institute of Arts.

Artwork

Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra"

Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra" is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It is held in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts. The work is a painted folio from a historic tantric manuscript identified as the Sangrahani Sutra.

About this work

Overview

The work is a painted folio from a historic tantric manuscript identified as the Sangrahani Sutra. Executed on paper, it depicts a central male figure seated on an elaborately patterned couch of yellow and red, surrounded by four female attendants. The composition is framed by a vivid red ground and a green rectangular panel behind the seated figure, creating a striking visual contrast.

Subject & Meaning

The seated man, robed in red and crowned, holds a scepter in his right hand and a pink object in his left, suggesting a role of authority or divine power within the tantric tradition. The four women, adorned in colorful garments and jewelry, gaze toward him, indicating reverence or participation in a ritual context.

Technique & Style

The painting employs mineral pigments that yield saturated reds, yellows, and greens, applied in flat, decorative blocks typical of manuscript illumination. Fine line work outlines the figures and their attire, while the patterned couch and background demonstrate a stylized, ornamental approach rather than naturalistic representation.

History & Provenance

As a page from the Sangrahani Sutra, the folio originates from a larger religious text used in tantric practice. The manuscript’s precise geographic origin and date remain uncertain, but the style aligns with South Asian tantric art of the early modern period, likely produced in a monastic workshop.

Context

Tantric manuscripts often combined instructional text with visual aids to convey complex theological concepts. This illustration would have served as a didactic image, reinforcing the authority of the central figure—perhaps a deity or enlightened teacher—within the ritual framework described by the sutra.

Legacy

While the specific manuscript is not widely cited, such illuminated pages contribute to the broader understanding of tantric visual culture, illustrating how art functioned as a pedagogical and devotional tool in esoteric traditions.