Manjushri is rarely represented in his wrathful form. Here both his aggressive stance and his fearsome face—flared eyes, knotted eyebrows, and exposed teeth—speak to his angry nature. In addition to the sword, the triple-knot hairstyle and the tiger-claw necklace identify Manjushri.
Details
- Title : Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom, in an Awesome Aspect
- Year : 10th century
- Classification : Sculpture
- Medium : Gilt-copper alloy with color and gold paint
- Dimension : H. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm); H. incl. base 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm); W. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); D. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); Wt. 12 lbs (5.4 kg)
- Accession No : 1982.220.13
- Country/ Geo-location : Nepal (Kathmandu Valley)
- Period : Thakuri period
- Collection : The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Credit Line : Purchase, Harris Brisbane Dick, Dodge and Fletcher Funds, and Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1982
- Acquisition Method : Purchased
- Status : On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 252
- Provenance : [ Ben Heller, Inc. , New York, by 1968 unti ca. 1970, sold to Humann]; Christian Humann , New York (ca. 1970 until d. 1981, estate sale by Ellsworth to MMA); [ R. H. Ellsworth Ltd. , New York, 1982, sold to MMA]
- Exhibition History : New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Art of the Himalayas," December 15, 2010–December 4, 2011. New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Crowns of the Vajra Masters: Ritual Art of Nepal," December 16, 2017–December 16, 2018.
- Timeline of Art History : Himalayan Region, 500-1000 A.D.