An early Tibetan king, or Rudrakulika, legendary king of Shambhala, seated in a garden. Distemper painting by a Tibetan painter.

An early Tibetan king, or Rudrakulika, legendary king of Shambhala, seated under a peach tree in a garden in front of a building and a palanquin. Under the peach tree a white lotus tree can be seen. The central figure's transparent halo indicates that if he is an early king he is one of those who were regarded as saints. At least two kings had Chinese wives, and there are several Chinese features in this painting. The queen or wife is also a saint with a blue halo. Their son has a green halo and holds a fruit or jewel in both hands. The central figure holds a coral necklace or rosary. His right hand forms the giving gesture, and in his left hand he holds a wishing tree. He wears Chinese-type shoes. An attendant behind him holds a painted fan depicting the Old Man of Long Life by a tree, with two cranes and a deer

In the top left hand corner, the seated figure of Amitāyus holds a bowl with a plant and a fruit in both hands which form the medicine bowl gesture. At the bottom, outside the garden wall, are the seven aspects of a universal ruler: 1. a good elephant; 2. a good house; 3. a good minister, wearing a red hat and seated in the enchanter's posture, holding a staff of office; 4. a wish-fulfilling gem on the elephant's back; 5. a good general, holding a shield with a face on it, with a straight sword in his belt; 6. a good queen, not represented in the bottom row but rather in the central picture, suggesting that her husband is a king; 7. the Wheel of the Law may be represented by the book in the minister's right hand. Everyone is wearing an amulet case (ga'u), some round, some square

Visible in front of the central figure are examples of the objects of the five senses: 1. an attendant holding a mirror (sight); 2. on a little table, a square incense burner (smell); 3. a bowl of jewels (touch); 4. a white porcelain cup on a golden stand (taste); and 5. on an ornamental chest a conch shell (sound). By his side are two vases containing peonies. An attendant is playing a flute. Another attendant holds a scroll in his right hand and, holding his left sleeve over his mouth, prevents himself from breathing on the king or Lama. Another attendant holds a bezoar in his right hand. Elongated bags or pouches hang from all the attendants' belts. One attendant holds a jar shaped like a teapot

[Tibet]

1 painting : distemper on linen ; distemper 99 x 61 cm

Text on verso in lanta (lanydza) script

Marianne Winder, Catalogue of Tibetan manuscripts and xylographs, and catalogue of thankas, banners and other paintings and drawings in the Library of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, London 1989, p. 87-88, thankas banners and paintings no. 25

Wellcome Collection 47095i