Dharmadhatuvagishvara Mañjuśrī

Unknown (Nepalese)

Item type:

sculpture

Date of creation:

19th century

Height:

41.0 cm  (16 1/8 in.)

Technique / Medium:

fire-gilded copper and pâte de verre

Place of creation:

Nepāl

Description

The statuette reproduces the form of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī (Manjushri) called "Master of the Word", with four heads and eight arms, sitting on a double lotus set on a "Lion's throne" whose base is occupied centrally by the figure of a female deity. On the two sides, again on double lotus corollas, are represented the two cosmic Buddhas Aksobhya and Ratnasambhava. The god holds his two central hands in the preaching gesture; the various attribute include the usual vajra and ghanta pairing, the flaming sword, the book of the doctrine, the arrow and the bow. On his left knee sits Sarasvati, goddess of music and poetry; the whole is surrounded by a large triumphal arch formed by flowers.

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Ghanta [2403]

Bibliographic references

Santarelli, Cristina. "Tibetan art collection at the Museo d'Arte Orientale, Turin", Music in art 24/1-2 (Spring-Fall 2009) 338-345.

RIdIM record id

3153