Black Cloak Mahakala or Bernag Chen

The painting is dominated by Black Cloak Mahakala (Bernak Chen), the special protector for the tradition of the Black Hat Lamas. Originally the protector for the family of the Second Black Hat Lama, Karma Pakshi, the Black Cloak Mahakala is now associated with all of the Black Hat Lamas down to the present day. An inscription states that “Without error [this] painting of Five Deity [Mahakala] was painted by the hand of [Situ Panchen] Cho[-kyi] Jung[-ne]” (1699-1774). Its unusual appearance—specifically, the sensitive handling of the animals, such as the realistic depiction of the elephant in the bottom center—bears some resemblance to paintings attributed to the Tenth Karmapa, which certainly have inspired this work.