Three Black thangkas – Caturbhuja Mahakala , Kakasya Karma-Mahakala and Palden Lhamo

Portable thangkas (scroll paintings) are used as visual aids to meditation Thangkas with black backgrounds became fashionable in the 17th and 18th century. Wrathful deities such as Mahakala played an important role in esoteric rituals and images of him were placed in dark secluded rooms of the temples dedicated to guardians of the faith. The black thangkas on display portray three protectors of the Kagyu school, one of the four major sects of Tibetan Buddhism.