The Buddhist Goddess Tara
Sculpture
c. 8th century (made)
c. 8th century (made)
Copper, Nepal, Licchavi period, c.8th century
Object details
| Object type | |
| Title | The Buddhist Goddess Tara (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Copper |
| Brief description | Copper, Nepal, Licchavi period, c.8th century |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label | Tara
700–800
Licchavi period
This early copper image of the Buddhist goddess Tara shows the
sophistication of Nepalese metal casting in the Licchavi period.
The Licchavis supported both Hinduism and Buddhism. Here
Tara appears in a rare six-armed form, perhaps an early Indian
version that later disappeared from Nepalese sculpture.
Copper
Nepal
Museum no. IS.9-1989(14/06/2011) |
| Historical context | This is an exceptionally early Nepalese copper image, showing the sophistication of metal casting in the Licchavi period (6th -8th century). The saviouress is represented in a rare six-armed form; her attributes include a vajra (thunderbolt sceptre), noose (?), lotus (padma), dagger (?) and a sword. The sixth hand is held to receive a now missing attribute. She may represent an early form of Tara transmitted from the Mahayanist tradition of eastern India and not preserved in later iconography. |
| Production | Nepal |
| Subject depicted | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.9-1989 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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