Painted Tibetan Chosham Shrine Cabinet - Early 19th Century

An early 19^th century shrine cabinet from the Kham region in Eastern Tibet. This particular Tibetan cabinet is unusual for its doors to allow the gods to be hidden away. These cabinets (chosham in Tibetan) were more often used in wealthy private homes rather than temples however it should be noted that some examples have been found in Lama's quarters.

A statue would take pride of place in the centre panel with masks being hung in the top six alcoves. Often these masks were Dharmapala, the protectors of the faith which were used in ritual Cham dances.

Lotus flowers can be seen on each arch. The lotus is one of the most important motifs of Tibetan Buddhism with themes of rebirth. 

This Tibetan shrine is in excellent condition for its considerable age as can be seen by the wood on the back of the cabinet. It is likely that it would have been recessed into a wall in a home and used for the reading of daily prayers, worship, and burning of butter lamps. 

Note: See page 106, Tibetan Furniture: Identifying · Appreciating · Collecting by Chris Buckley, for more details on how these were used.

A similar example can be found in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We have never encountered a piece like this in 40 years of dealing in Tibetan antique furniture. 

From Tibet

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