Guru Dragpo Votive Plaque, in the shape of a lotus petal / Artist Unknown, Tibet or Nepal

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Record Details

Accession Number
1985/2.49
Title
Guru Dragpo Votive Plaque, in the shape of a lotus petal
Artist Nationality
Tibetan or Nepalese
Medium and Support
bone
Object Creation Date
18th century
Object Creation Place
Asia (continent)
China (nation)
Tibet (autonomous region)
Creation Place 1
Asia (continent)
Creation Place 2
China (nation)
Creation Place 3
Tibet (autonomous region)
Style/Group/Movement
Buddhist
Dimensions
30 cm x 19 cm x 8.9 cm (11 13/16 in. x 7 1/2 in. x 3 1/2 in.)
Century
18th century
Primary Object Classification
Sculpture
Primary Object Type
carving
Secondary Object Classification
Ritual Objects
Secondary Object Type
plaque
Physical Description
A bas-relief carving made of bone and in the shape of a lotus petal, depicting a wrathful guardian of the Tibetan Buddhist faith. At the base of the "petal" are the tops of mountains, with the waves of the sea visible between them; in the rounded part of the "petal," a border of flames encircles a dynamic image of the bodhisattva Vajrapani in his wrathful form. The background behind Vajrapani is incised with closely spaced wavy lines, again suggesting flames.
Subject Matter
An incised image of Vajrapâni, the "Thunderbolt-bearer," an important bodhisattva in the Tibetan Buddhist faith, depicted in his wrathful form. He has a third eye, and his hair is depicted sweeping up and back as though on fire. He wears an elephant skin on his back (the elephant's head is just visible behond his right knee) and a tiger skin around his loins. He carries a vajra ("thunderbolt"—a pronged scepter) in his right hand. He stands in a dramatic pose (known as the "alida" stance, or "powerful kick"), often seen in wrathful deites, trampling underneath two figures that represent variously enemies of the faith or ignorance and greed.
Rights
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Technical Details

Image Size
664 x 1040
File Size
90 KB
Record
1985/2.49
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1985-sl-2.49/1985_2.49.jpg

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https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1985-SL-2.49:1985_2.49.JPG

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"Guru Dragpo Votive Plaque, in the shape of a lotus petal; Artist Unknown, Tibet or Nepal." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1985-sl-2.49/1985_2.49.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 28, 2024.
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