Search engine for discovering works of Art, research articles, and books related to Art and Culture
ShareThis
Javascript must be enabled to continue!

Shrine of the 5th Celestial Buddha, Amoghasiddha on the north side of the base of the temple of Adi Buddha, Sambhunath. April 1854

View through Europeana Collections
Watercolour of the shrine of the 5th Celestial Buddha, Amoghasiddha at Swayambhunath in Nepal, by Henry Ambrose Oldfield (1822-1871), dated April 1854. The image is inscribed on the reverse: 'Shrine of the 5th Celestial Buddha, Amoghasiddha on the north side of the base of the temple of Adi Buddha, Sambhunath. April 1854', together with notes.Dr Oldfield, who was Residency Surgeon at Kathmandu from 1850-1863, wrote in Volume II of his 'Sketches from Nipal, Historical and Descriptive...' (1880): "Round the base of the hemisphere or mound of the temple and built partly into its plinth, opposite the four cardinal points, are five large shrines, covered with copper-gilt, and each of which contains a gilt image, rather larger than life size, of one of the divine Buddhas...Above each shrine is a gilt toran or escutcheon, on which is represented in relief a figure of Garura standing upon a pair of nagkunyas, or mermaids, each of which is supported upon the coils of the tail of a grotesque sea-dragon...Below the northern shrine, is a stone relief of Amoghasiddha, with a couple of attendant mermaids seated on a coil of snakes. In front of this northern shrine is a square basin or depression in the pavement, in which these attendant serpents of Amoghasiddha are supposed to reside."
Title: Shrine of the 5th Celestial Buddha, Amoghasiddha on the north side of the base of the temple of Adi Buddha, Sambhunath. April 1854
Description:
Watercolour of the shrine of the 5th Celestial Buddha, Amoghasiddha at Swayambhunath in Nepal, by Henry Ambrose Oldfield (1822-1871), dated April 1854.
The image is inscribed on the reverse: 'Shrine of the 5th Celestial Buddha, Amoghasiddha on the north side of the base of the temple of Adi Buddha, Sambhunath.
April 1854', together with notes.
Dr Oldfield, who was Residency Surgeon at Kathmandu from 1850-1863, wrote in Volume II of his 'Sketches from Nipal, Historical and Descriptive.
' (1880): "Round the base of the hemisphere or mound of the temple and built partly into its plinth, opposite the four cardinal points, are five large shrines, covered with copper-gilt, and each of which contains a gilt image, rather larger than life size, of one of the divine Buddhas.
Above each shrine is a gilt toran or escutcheon, on which is represented in relief a figure of Garura standing upon a pair of nagkunyas, or mermaids, each of which is supported upon the coils of the tail of a grotesque sea-dragon.
Below the northern shrine, is a stone relief of Amoghasiddha, with a couple of attendant mermaids seated on a coil of snakes.
In front of this northern shrine is a square basin or depression in the pavement, in which these attendant serpents of Amoghasiddha are supposed to reside.
".

Related Results

A caitya at Svayambhunath
A caitya at Svayambhunath
Watercolour drawing of a shrine at Swayambhunath, part of the Lawrence collection created by an anonymous artist working in the Nepalese school, c. 1843-1846. The image is set with...
'A 'mani' or Tibetan 'Prayer-Revolver', at Buddhnath. Nov. 1854'
'A 'mani' or Tibetan 'Prayer-Revolver', at Buddhnath. Nov. 1854'
Watercolour of a 'mani' or Tibetan prayer-wheel, at Bodnath Temple in Nepal, by Henry Ambrose Oldfield (1822-1871), dated November 1854. The Bodnath stupa is one of the largest in ...
The Jagat Siromani Temple, Udaipur. 'Janr. 1879'
The Jagat Siromani Temple, Udaipur. 'Janr. 1879'
Oil painting of the Jagdish temple at Udaipur by Marianne North dated 1879. Inscribed: 'Juganat Temple Oodipore. India. Janr. 1879'.Initially Marianne North (1830-1890) only painte...
'Bindrabun. India. Novr. 2d 1878'
'Bindrabun. India. Novr. 2d 1878'
Oil painting on paper by Marianne North of Vrindavan, dated 2 November 1878. Marianne North visited India in 1877-79 and completed over 200 paintings whilst there.Vrindavan is a pi...
'Temple near Jeypore. India. Decr. 1878'
'Temple near Jeypore. India. Decr. 1878'
Oil painting depicting a temple near Jaipur by Marianne North, dated December 1878.Initially Marianne North (1830-1890) only painted botanical specimens and travelled around the wo...

Back to Top