The Bodhisattva Vajrapani
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.Vajrapani, whose name means “holder of the vajra (thunderbolt)” in Sanskrit, embodies the very power of enlightenment. Here he stands assertively as a protector, his posture associated with the tantric deity Achala. A tantric practitioner venerates Vajrapani to become the deity through self-identification. This collapses the distinction between deity and practitioner, an act of empowerment, and moves the devotee toward enlightenment. The lotus pond below and the bold, graphic style overall relate to north Indian Pala idioms, while motifs such as his spiked crown link this work to late twelfth-century Tibetan wall painting.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Bodhisattva Vajrapani
- Date: early 12th century
- Culture: Western Tibet, Guge
- Medium: Distemper on cotton
- Dimensions: H. 29 1/2 in. (74.9 cm); W. 21 1/4 in. (54 cm); Est. wt. 9 lbs. (4.1 kg)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Lent by the Stephen and Sharon Davies Collection
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art