The Bodhisattva Vajrasattva

8th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 237

The Esoteric Buddhist deity Vajrasattva holds a stylized thunderbolt and a bell and sits in royal ease on a stylized mountain, with his pendant foot supported by a lotus bloom. Two snake deities, a naga and nagini, emerge from the mountain’s waters and raise their hands in veneration of Vajrasattva’s transcendent wisdom.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: The Bodhisattva Vajrasattva
Date: 8th century
Culture: India, Kashmir
Medium: Brass with silver inlay
Dimensions: H. 6 5/8 in. (16.9 cm); W. 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm); D. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Classification: Sculpture
Credit Line: Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015
Object Number: 2015.500.4.6
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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