ritual crown (ringga)

paint and gold on blind-pressed papermaché
Tibet, 14th cent.
wide: 48 cm; each leave ca. 19 cm. high.

very rare and early ringga, painted with the five Tathagatas, with their animals below.
The backsides of the leaves are painted with the bhijas of the five Tathagatas.
A stone printing-mould for this kind of  leaves used to be in the collection of Dr. Pratapaditya Pal, and was sold at Christies in New York in March 2008 (nr. 425).