116. * A BROCADED SILK PANEL WITH VAJRABHAIRAVA MANTRAS Tibet, 18th/19th century In tabby weave, interwoven with paper faced with gold leaf Himalayan Art Resources item no. 2859 Image: 95.5 x 63 cm (37 5/8 x 24 3/4 in.); With border: 192 x 160 cm (75 5/8 x 63 in.) Provenance: Property from a Southern California Estate This finely worked shrine cloth features nine panels of gold brocade mantras from the Vajrabhairava Tantra cycle, including short, medium, and long forms and those invoking retinue deities. Given the textile's rectangular shape and the addition of an outer silk fringe dyed with red and blue dotted patterns, the textile would have likely been used to cover a table upon which ritual items were placed during Vajrabhairava practice. A Vajrabhairava thangka in the Dargye Museum, Chengdu, has silk mounts with identical gold brocade mantras. The present textile is bordered with a vibrant triangular silk patchwork, stylistically comparable to a related cloth sold at Bonhams, Paris, 16 December 2022, lot 305. This Vajrabhairava shrine cloth reflects a union of sacred text, ceremonial function, and high craftsmanship.