19th Century Painted “Five Senses Flower Offering” Tibetan Dharma Cabinet From Central Tibet

This is an early Tibetan dharma cabinet with a wooden structure, square and red, known as the “Five Senses Flower Offering” Dharma Cabinet. The “Five Senses Flower Offering” represents the offering to the wrathful deities equivalent to those offered to Kapala. The “Five Senses” refer to the five faculties of perception: mind, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, and form the six faculties if limbs are included. Such Offering is complementary to those offered to peaceful deities, representing the offerings of the five objects of desire in the realm of sensual pleasures. The front of the cabinet is partially painted with flame jewels and Shmashana motifs, accompanied by the colorful “Five Senses Flower Offering” paintings, combining two distinct artistic elements. Both compartments of the cabinet can be opened and used. The grid-like layout of the cabinet’s body is reminiscent of the color-block arrangement in the works of Mondrian, displaying an ingenious artistic approach.