Untitled

Unknown

19th century · Appliqued satin, brocade and damask, embroidered silk and painted details · Asian Art

This large-scale appliqué depicts the Vajrayana goddess Kurukulla, known as a beautiful bewitcher of men. The four-armed figure’s red skin corresponds to her status as an emanation of the red Amitabha Buddha. Kurukulla is evoked for success with tantric rituals; reciting her mantra allows the practitioner to subdue or bewitch men of all ranks, even kings. Typical of late images of this deity, she shoots a bow with a flower-tipped arrow like the god of love, Kamadeva. As with many ferocious female protectors, she is presented with a headdress of skulls, wearing bone ornaments, and dancing on a pile of corpses. A garland of severed heads frames her body. Below is a group of fierce protectors. This appliqué is an outstanding and well-preserved example of Tibet’s textile image-making tradition.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

Appliqued satin, brocade and damask, embroidered silk and painted details

Culture

Tibet

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Zimmerman Family Collection, Gift of the Zimmerman Family, 2014