Originally part of a group of set of five paintings depicting the Five Dhyani Buddhas, the present painting depicts the tathagata Akshobhya, associated with the eastern direction. Blue in color and with his hands held in bhumisparshamudra, evoking the moment the historical buddha, Shakyamuni, overcame the temptations of Mara and his armies, Akshobhya is rightly associated with the pacification of temptation.
The work is very finely painted, particularly in the details of the central figure, including in the treatment of the hands and feet and in the hair and crown. Overall, the work follows closely the Buddhist painting style established during the Pala dynasty in Northeastern Indian in the twelfth century, demonstrated by the slender physiognomy of the central figure, the architecturally-inspired throne-back supported by vyalas, and the bold, multihued color palette. The central figure is surrounded by a multitude of diminutive Buddha images, which, when taken together with the other four paintings in the set, would have numbered over 1,000.
The work is very closely related to a painting of Ratnasambhava originally in the Von Schroeder Collection and sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 May 2021, lot 3, for HK$1,190,000 (approx. US$152,680); the two works are compositionally identical and close enough in detail that they are possibly from the same set of five paintings. Compare, for example, the black-and-white checkered cloth at the front of the throne, the depiction of the vyalas and other aspects of the throne-back, as well as the treatment of the hands and feet and the small strands of hair that fall onto the forehead.