Black Six-Armed Mahākāla ｜ Sonam Tsering ｜ Menthong School｜Miniature Thangka (Zaka) ｜ 4 × 5 cm

【Artwork Information】

Deity: Black Six-Armed Mahākāla (Six-Armed Mahākāla)

Painting School: Menthong School

Artist: Sonam Tsering — Master Thangka Artisan, Lhasa

Region: Lhasa, Tibet

Size: 4 × 5 cm

Materials: Natural mineral pigments, gold, cinnabar, lapis lazuli, malachite, etc.

Technique: Menthong heavy-gold application, rich mineral coloration, fine detailed line work, full composition

【Deity Description】

Black Six-Armed Mahākāla is one of the most powerful Dharma Protectors in Tibetan Buddhism.

He represents the fierce manifestation of great compassion, dedicated to protecting practitioners from all internal and external obstacles.

The six arms symbolize six protective powers:

• Subjugation of negative forces, harmful influences, and obstacles

• Purification of karmic obscurations and mental afflictions

• Transformation of adverse conditions into supportive circumstances

• Stabilization of wealth, resources, and accumulated merit

• Protection of spiritual practice and smooth progress on the path

• Safeguarding family harmony and stability in worldly affairs

Mahākāla holds a supreme position across all major Tibetan Buddhist traditions and is especially central in the Kagyu, Kadam, Sakya, and Nyingma lineages.

【Artwork Highlights】

This piece is considered one of Sonam Tsering’s signature miniature works and represents a highly refined and widely recognized version of Black Six-Armed Mahākāla in the contemporary mini thangka field:

• Exceptional Menthong heavy-gold execution: Dense gold application with strong luminosity, expressing the commanding presence unique to Black Mahākāla

• Layered mineral pigmentation: Deep, concentrated colors that enhance the protector’s solemn and powerful aura

• Precise and dignified facial features: Remarkable accuracy achieved within a miniature format—one of the artist’s most admired strengths among collectors

• Balanced and forceful composition: A hallmark of the Menthong system, emphasizing symmetry, visual focus, and concentrated energy

• High technical difficulty: Black-ground compositions with fine gold detailing require exceptional control; achieving such clarity at miniature scale is extremely rare

• Award-recognized subject: Sonam Tsering’s Black Six-Armed Mahākāla has received multiple awards in Lhasa regional art competitions and is among his most recognizable themes

• Strong collectible and appreciation potential: High-quality Black Mahākāla miniatures are scarce in the market; this work represents a top-tier example

【Artist Profile】

Sonam Tsering is a highly respected master artisan of the Menthong School based in Lhasa.

He is renowned for his mastery of heavy-gold techniques, rich mineral layering, stable fine line work, and disciplined compositional structure.

His Black Six-Armed Mahākāla series is regarded as one of his defining bodies of work,

highly recognizable and competitive within the miniature thangka collecting market,

and considered an essential subject for serious collectors.