Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Vajrabhairava and Vajravetali
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)
The Buddhist meditational deity Vajrabhairava, conqueror of death, embraces his female partner, Vajravetali. Trampling birds, animals, and Hindu gods that personify the worldly attachments and delusions that one must overcome on the path to enlightenment, he breaks down barriers to spiritual liberation. Three lamas wearing hats associated with the Karma Kagyu monastic tradition sit above the central pair, and the two handprints below most likely belong to a revered lama. Enhanced with gold and framed by red halos, they render his touch visible and preserve his sacred presence.
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.
Purchased by Walter Hauser [1], Charlottesville, Virginia, 1964-65; given to Walters Art Museum, 2016.
[1] Purchased from an unknown dealer or bazaar shop in Kalimpong or Darjeeling in West Bengal
Geographies
Tibet (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Overall H: 50 3/8 × W: 27 3/8 × D: 1 in. (128 × 69.5 × 2.5 cm); Image H: 23 5/8 × W: 15 15/16 in. (60 × 40.5 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Walter Hauser, 2016
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.
35.322