Masterworks: Jewels of the Collection, Rubin Museum of Art, New York (12 February 2014–5 January 2015)

The central figure in this thangka is Tsui Marpo, a powerful drala, a warrior-class deity that overcomes obstacles and demonic forces associated with the Nyingma school. Tsui Marpo has a fierce, red-colored face with three piercing eyes, representing his ability to perceive the past, present, and future. In his right hand, he wields a long spear, which he uses to cut through negative karma and delusions, while in his left hand, he holds a lasso. 

Mounted on a ferocious magical horse, Tsui Marpo strides across an ocean of blood, representing the inherent suffering of saṃsāra, the cyclic existence. By riding over this ocean, Tsui Marpo signifies that he has transcended all forms of suffering. His aggressive, wrathful demeanor and rapid movement convey his urgent mission to destroy the obstacles and causes of suffering for those he protects.

Depicted in the thangka's upper left and right corners are the disciples of the renowned Lama Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug school. Tsui Marpo assists these figures in carrying out Tsongkhapa's instructions, underscoring the deity's role as a powerful protector of the Buddhist teachings. At the top of the thanka, dragons symbolize the protection of the Buddha's teachings, while snakes at the bottom represent negative emotions like anger. In the background of the central figure, a towering coral mountain rises behind a bone palace. The coral mountain symbolizes a sacred abode that helps in taking a step toward the future, while the bone palace represents the inevitability of death. Tsui Marpo is the leader of a group of seven emanated horsemen, known as the seven attendant riders or the seven radiant brothers. This collective functions as powerful wrathful protectors and the six other members can be seen below the central figure.