An antique Tibetan tsakli painting, 19th Century or earlier (much earlier) depicting, within a red nimbus stands a large, green- bodied wrathful deity wearing a long black coat edged with green, his sleeves flying to indicate his wrathful activity and vigour. His flying hair is held in place by a 3 pointed diadem, and he wears bone bodhisattva ornaments and a flayed human skin tied about his waist over a tiger skin dhoti tied with a red riband. This has
its origin in Hindu tradition, where Shiva killed the tiger of desire and used its skin as his meditation seat, symbolising
his transcendence over desire. Most wrathful deities are depicted wearing tiger-skin dhotis, indicating their powerful,
masculine nature. His lotus throne is particularly elaborate with trefoil-shaped lotus petals. He brandishes a sword to cleave ignorance in his right hand, his left in tarjani mudra. 1 line of Tibetan text to the reverse side. 8.7 x 11.9cm