Dakini / Artist Unknown, Nepal
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1983/1.111
- Title
- Dakini
- Artist
- Artist Unknown, Nepal
- Artist Nationality
- Nepalese
- Medium and Support
- stone
- Object Creation Date
- 19th century
- Object Creation Place
- Asia (continent)
- Creation Place 1
- Asia (continent)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Yale Ginsburg
- Style/Group/Movement
- Buddhist
- Dimensions
- 21.5 cm x 14.3 cm x 6 cm (8 7/16 in. x 5 5/8 in. x 2 3/8 in.)
- Century
- 19th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Primary Object Type
- bas-relief
- Secondary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Secondary Object Type
- figure
- Physical Description
- A small stone sculpture in bas-relief, depicting a tantric goddess. The back of the image is carved in a stylized petal shape, while the figure is crudely carved in relief on the front.
- Subject Matter
- Tentatively identified as a dakini, a "sky walker": a popular type of goddess in Tibetan Buddhism. Dakinis are shown naked, and as in this image, usually wear a garland of skulls, and carry a skull cup, a flaying knife, and a staff strung with human skulls. The symbolism for such images is complex, but broadly speaking, dakinis represesnt the spontaneous energy of the mind stripped of delusion and defilements.
- Dakinis are a popular subject in Himalayan art, and the figure on this small stone corresponds to the standard iconography in all respects but one: normally a dakini is shown taking an aggressive stride, with both feet on the ground, but here, the sculptor has taken advantage of the stone "background" to show her left leg held high, in a monumental stride.
- Secondary Keywords
- animal material
- animal material by form or function
- asian
- associated concepts
- descriptors
- materials
- materials by origin
- people
- people (agents)
- people and culture
- people by state or condition
- religions
- religions and religious concepts
- skeleton and skeleton components
- skeleton components
- south asian
- styles and periods
- styles and periods by region
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 651 x 975
- File Size
- 71 KB
- Record
- 1983/1.111
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1983-sl-1.111/1983_1.111.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1983-SL-1.111:1983_1.111.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Dakini; Artist Unknown, Nepal." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1983-sl-1.111/1983_1.111.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 20, 2024.
