Can you identify an artist just by looking closely at a painting? A work in the Rubin’s collection sparked questions about authorship, style, and artistic inspiration. Although an inscription attributes the painting to Situ Panchen (1700–1774), details in the inscription, materials, and brushwork point to a more complicated story of artistic inspiration and attribution. By comparing stylistic clues, iconography, and technique, Senior Curator Karl Debreczeny traces how this image of Black Cloak Mahakala may have been inspired by the artistic legacy of the Tenth Karmapa, Choying Dorje (1604–1674). Swipe through to follow the clues. 📖 Read the full article on Spiral: link in bio. #HimalayanArt #BuddhistArt #ArtHistory ________ Situ Panchen; Black Cloak Mahakala; Kham Region, Eastern Tibet; 18th century; Pigments on silk; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2002.8.4