Lot 38E
Nepal/Tibet, ca. 1800 CE. This piece is Tibetan pottery with all surfaces painted to a high level of detail. It depicts three-headed, six-armed, black-skinned Mahakala, a protective deity known as a dharmapala. He waers a green sash, a skirt, and some kind of animal skin -- possibly a tiger -- on his back. You can clearly see the details of the paws slung over the shoulders and behind Mahakala's body. He wears gold circlets on his arms and around his neck and his waist, as well as large earrings. His faces are all fierce and have jewels set in their foreheads. Finally, he waers a crown of humanoid skulls. All schools of Tibetan Buddhism rely on Mahakala, who is depicted with a number of variations, including with fewer arms and white skin. However, he is typically black skinned to represent that, as all colors are absorbed and dissolved into black, all names and forms are said to melt into those of Mahakala, symbolizing his all-embracing, comprehensive nature. Black can also represent the total absence of color, and again in this case it signifies the nature of Mahakala as ultimate or absolute reality. In this particular representation, Mahakala stands atop a human corpse. This is a fierce, detailed piece! Size: 7-1/2" H x 7" W x 2" L (19 cm x 18 cm x 5 cm).
Provenance: Ex-Private Northern Colorado collection.
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#110402
- Condition: Although there is some chipping and wear, the colors remain highly visible and in some places still bright. The facial features are clear all but a few of the fingers are intact. One finger has been repaired with wire.
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