Untitled

Unknown

13th century · Copper alloy with turquoise, silver, and colors · Asian Art

Vajravarahi derives from the boar-headed Hindu goddess Varahi, the female aspect of Vishnu’s boar avatar, Varaha. She reflects the incorporation of Hindu imagery into Vajrayana Buddhism. Here, the face of a sow projects from her head. Wearing a garland of severed heads, she dances on a corpse, wielding a chopper with a vajra (thunderbolt) finial, evoking the cutting away of illusions.

Artist

Unknown

Date

13th century

Medium

Copper alloy with turquoise, silver, and colors

Culture

Central Tibet

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Zimmerman Family Collection, Gift of the Zimmerman Family, 2014