Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Mahakala
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)
Surrounded by a flaming aureole, Mahakala, with a slight tilt of his head, stands upright on two elephant-headed creatures, who are described as "mara." Of his six arms, those on the right hold the chopper, the three jewels against the chest, and the small hand-drum. The objects in the left hands are the trident, a noose with thunderbolt terminals, and a skull cup containing the vase of immortality, rather than the usual blood. The iconography agrees basically with that given for the form known as "mGon po yid bzhin nor bu" (see Nebesky-Wojkowitz 1956, p. 43).
Inscription
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Trocadero Gallery, Washington, D.C. [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; John and Berthe Ford, Baltimore, May 5, 1980, by purchase.
Exhibitions
| 2001-2003 | Desire and Devotion: Art from India, Nepal, and Tibet in the John and Berthe Ford Collection. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara; Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque; Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong. |
Geographies
Mongolia
(Place of Origin)
Tibet (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H overall: 7 x W: 6 x D: 3 in. (17.8 x 15.2 x 7.6 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of John and Berthe Ford, 2013
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.3089