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 page from the Tantric manuscript known as the Sangrahani Sutra.

About this work

Overview

The work is a painted page from the Tantric manuscript known as the Sangrahani Sutra. Executed as a miniature painting on paper, it presents a dense block of black‑ink script flanked by ornamental vertical bands. The surrounding motifs are rendered in blue and yellow, creating a vivid contrast against the aged, slightly deteriorated surface.

Subject & Meaning

The central element consists of a Sanskrit‑derived text associated with tantric ritual instruction. While the precise content is specialized, the visual emphasis on the script underscores the manuscript’s function as a devotional and instructional object, intended for contemplation and recitation within esoteric practice.

Technique & Style

The page demonstrates the fine brushwork typical of Indian miniature illumination. Minute, uniformly spaced letters are incised with a sable brush, while the decorative borders employ stippled and linear patterns in mineral pigments of blue and yellow. The vertical side bands are embellished with repeating geometric motifs, reflecting a disciplined compositional balance.

History & Provenance

Created on paper that shows signs of age—surface wear, slight discoloration, and softening edges—the manuscript likely originates from a South Asian workshop active in the early modern period. Its current location is unspecified, though comparable examples are held in the Detroit Institute of Arts, indicating a broader collection of tantric visual texts in Western institutions.