Appliqué

Mongol appliqué, characterized by unique Mongolian styled designs and outstanding needlework, evolved from the early art of Hunnu felt appliqué. Although this art form dates back to a 2000 years old Mongolian tradition, it has not significantly developed outside of Mongolia.
Appliqués are similar to thangka paintings in their composition, color and content, but are unique in so far as their production requires extreme investments of time and effort, considerable patience and meticulous stitching of silk by artistic seamstresses.
The appliqué is unique in its splendor and color detail, its creation involving the contrasting colors of silk, embroidering with silk thread, and inlaying with the utmost precision to create an effect entirely different form that drawings and paintings. The Mongol appliqué is produced based on an original drawing to form templates for the fabric.
These are then fastened onto individually selected pieces of silk. Next the silk shapes are quilted together and affixed to a silk background with a border. Finally, string is affixed to the quilt for hanging and dowel is inserted at the bottom to provide a weight.

Large appliqué at Zanabazar art Museum.

Shri Devi

Mongolians believe that Shri-Devi visits every family on New Year’s Eve and put some ice near the door means to water her thirsty mule. A special religious ceremony is also performed for Palden Lhamo.

Shri Devi, the only female wrathful deity among the Dharmapalas, the main deity of Gelugpa Sect, and the protector of Buddhism, is depicted with a dark blue body. She is seated sideways on her mule, with her knees spread apart.
In her right hand, she holds a club with a vajra on the end, and in her left hand, she holds a blood filled skull cup. The mule has two eyes on its hips, one on each side. The flayed skin of a human with its head attached acts as a saddle blanket. The mule stands upon a base consisting of sharply pointed mountains surrounding an ocean of blood.
Her two attendants, walk beside the mule. Makaravaktra dakini, with an elephant head, is on the right holding the mule’s bridle. Simhavaktra dakini, with a lion head, is on the left holding a chopper and a rope noose. In the upper center, Tsongkapa is accompanied by Green Tara in his left and Ushnishavijava in his right. On the right, wrathful Yamantaka and on the left, Vajrapani are in the clouds. In the lower center, Mahakala sits on a lotus base. White Mahakala and Vaishravana are in the lower left and right corners. Lovely scenes of landscape, clouds, and stream are on the left and right sides of the painting.
Mongolians believe that Shri Devi helps to overcome obstacles, to prevent from deceases and to prolong life.

In 17-19th century, although the majority of Mongolian thangkas are painted on a white ground, there are examples with red and black grounds with gold paint, which is called Nagthang. Paintings with red and gold backgrounds depict peaceful deities, while black grounds are reserved for wrathful deities. Gold is used for line work in both red and black thangkas.
Shri-Devi rides on her mule in an ocean of blood surrounded by mountains. She has three glaring eyes, carries a skull cup containing blood in her left hand, and holds a club with a skull-topped and a vajra on the end. Her hair is upswept, she wears a five-skull crown, ring-shaped earrings, jewelries, a rosary of freshly severed heads and a tiger-skin skirt. A wooden stick wrapped in a snake is on her left waist, and a human skull on her right knee’s depiction is very unusual. Her two attendants walk beside the mule. An elephant-headed Makaravaktra dakini is holding the mule’s snake-bridle in the right side, a lion-headed Simhavaktra dakini is holding a skull-cup and a chopper in the left.

Photographer: Gansukh.N, Source: Mongolian Antique Museum

Green Tara

B.Sharav, the famous Mongolian artist of Bogd Khaan Palace, painted this Green Tara combining classic and modern portrayal methods. Shyamatara is depicted as a beautiful young women. Amitabha is on the top of her head. She wears a foliate petal tiara, ring shaped earrings inset with precious stones, a necklace, armlets and bracelets. Green tara holds the stem of a lotus flower in both hands. She sits on a lotus base with her pendent right leg supported by a lotus, while her left leg is folded. Blue Tara and Yellow Tara stand in the lower right and left corners. It was painted following precisely the iconography the mystic incantation form of the deity. Drawing of chrysanthemums and lotus flowers around her makes the painting more elaborate in detail and some parts are painted partially in gold.

During the suppression, Lama Ovgonkhuu of Erdenezuu Monastery in Kharakhorum kept this painting.

Photo by Gansukh.N, Source: Mongolian Antique Museum