Chicago Museums

I just spent the last three days in collections storage at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum. The Art Institute had a few things that were Sakya related. The most important piece was a painting of Hevajra that is from a known set commissioned in Ngor in the beginning of the 17th century. It was a set commemorating the passing of an important Lama from one of the four Ngor Labrangs. It belongs to the same set as the Guhyasamaja of the Rubin Museum of Art.

The field Museum had a number of interesting works including a painting of what appeared to be a Sakya Tridzin along with two other lamas. Each was inscribed with a gold inscription although I couldn't immediately identify which lamas they were. All three were likely alive when the painting was commissioned. This was indicated by a long-life vase in each of their hands. There was also a very nice Vajrapani Bhutadamara painting and a Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo guruyoga painting.

I hope to have the Field Museum images up on the HAR website soon.