Here is a painting of Padmani from the Ajanta Buddhist caves, in India.
I was amazed by the beauty in the detail but even more by the feeling I got standing in front of the 1600 year old mural. In art school, some say that we draw ourselves even when depicting others. I imagine the artist who worked on this image had a deep practice to reflect such a presence here.
Something I learned researching this image is that Padmani is a distinct form of Avalokiteśvara, characterized by the Lotus flower in hand.
It's a beautiful photograph of a remarkable painting. The grace and depth of feeling, especially in her face, are stunning.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barry.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you got to see many interesting images in Tibet?
Was there still much left?