{"product_id":"tibetan-mahakala-torgam-cabinet","title":"Painted Tibetan Mahakala Torgam Cabinet - 18thC","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn exquisite Tibetan Buddhist \u003cem\u003etorgam\u003c\/em\u003e (\u003cem\u003etorkham\u003c\/em\u003e) cabinet is decorated with offerings to the wrathful deity Mahakala. This is one of the best examples of Tibetan \u003cem\u003etorgam\u003c\/em\u003e we've seen and dates to the 18\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e century or earlier. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTorgams\u003c\/em\u003e (or \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003etorkham\u003c\/em\u003e) were found in monasteries \u0026amp; wealthy private homes - they were used for the storage of \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003etorma\u003c\/em\u003e, Tibetan ritual cakes made from butter \u0026amp; barley flour. The name is a combination of \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003etorma\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003egam\u003c\/em\u003e meaning cabinet. Torma offerings were most commonly made during Losar celebrations at the Tibetan New Year. In monasteries, they were located in the Protectors' chapel (\u003cem\u003egokang\u003c\/em\u003e). \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMahakala (The Great Black One) leads the Dharmapala, a group of wrathful gods that defend Tibetan Buddhism's teachings \u0026amp; institutions. He was a fearsome Tibetan Buddhist deity identifiable by his three eyes, flaming eyebrows, and beard who \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eassisted devotees in their \u003c\/span\u003ejourney to enlightenment through meditation by helping practitioners overcome spiritual obstacles and negative emotions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overall theme of the cabinet is The Wrathful Offering of The Five Senses (\u003cem\u003ekhro-bo'i dbang-po lnga-tshogs\u003c\/em\u003e) which contrasts with The Peaceful Offering of The Five Senses. Instead of beautiful sensory objects, the sense organs are depicted; a torn-out heart (consciousness), torn-out eyes with long optic nerves (representing sight), a tongue (representing taste), a nose (representing smell), a pair of ears (representing sound) \u0026amp; severed hands (representing touch). \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe top doors feature garlands of intestines held in the mouths of severed heads \u0026amp; skulls representing the insubstantiality of day-to-day life. Below is a glazed torma offering in an upturned skull on the left door and another trio of torma in a bowl on the right door. A Tibetan snow lion devouring the intestines of a human and birds carrying eyes \u0026amp; hearts in their beaks can be seen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the lower doors, we see an upturned skull mounted on a trio of skulls likely containing The Inner Offering (\u003cem\u003enang-chod\u003c\/em\u003e) of the Five Nectars (human excrement marrow, semen, blood \u0026amp; urine). The Five Meats (bull, dog, elephant, horse \u0026amp; human) can be seen across the front of the cabinet. A minion of Mahakala on the bottom right door is posed ready to devour human meat and surrounded by black yaks \u0026amp; buffalo. Mahakala's jewel-topped sandalwood club features to the left with its flaming triangular tip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal antique Tibetan cabinets are now very rare and there are many reproduction pieces made in China coming onto the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e87 x 50.5 x 131.5 (wxdxh cms)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance \u0026amp; Reading: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormerly of the James Yarrow Collection \u0026amp; purchased on the UK Art Market\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA similar example can be found in the LACMA collection (Los Angeles County Museum of Art - (M.2005.94.1)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilar examples can be found in \u003cem\u003eTibetan Furniture; Identifying, Appreciating, Collecting\u003c\/em\u003e by Chris Buckley (plate 176) \u0026amp; \u003cem\u003eWooden Wonders: Tibetan Furniture in Secular and Religious Life\u003c\/em\u003e by Kamansky (plate 127).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom Tibet\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eUK Delivery Charge - except Highlands \u0026amp; Islands £40\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e More delivery options available at checkout\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BinderKing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53551573598517,"sku":"M889","price":4576.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1012\/5243\/2181\/files\/M889-TibetanTorgam.jpg?v=1789233756","url":"https:\/\/binderking.shop\/products\/tibetan-mahakala-torgam-cabinet","provider":"BinderKing","version":"1.0","type":"link"}