Vaisravana
Gilt copper alloy
Vaisravana
CHINA, Tibet
This statue is of Vaisravana, the Heavenly King of the North and of wealth. The figure is seated in the relaxation posture on the back of a crouching lion and looks down fiercely. The crown and armor are set with turquoises, while the mongoose held in the left hand spews gems from its mouth. The right hand originally held a canopy, which is now lost, as a sign of royal authority. The boots worn by the figure are upturned in a style characteristic of both Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and Tibet in the 15th century, from when the piece dates. The billowing stole wound round the forearms adds to the dynamic impression given by this powerful sculpture.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture St-Z, page 1289.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture St-Z},
pages = 1289,
title = {{Vaisravana}},
volume = 13,
year = {2016}}