Goddess Vajravarahi Dancing with Chopper (karttrika) and Skullcup (kapala)
15th century
Medium
Bronze with gold paint and pigment
Dimensions
11.8 × 6.9 × 3.3 cm (4 5/8 × 2 11/16 × 1 5/16 in.)
Classification
bronze
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
144903
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The goddess Vajravarahi, one of the many manifestations of Vajrayogini, a tantric female Buddha, is so called because she has a tiny sow’s head (varahi) above her right ear. The wild boar, a ferocious, aggressive animal symbolizes her relentless power to achieve liberation, overcoming all obstacles. She usually dances upon a corpse, absent here, and holds a flaying knife (kartrika) in her raised right hand and a skull cup (kapala) in her left. She is the consort to the god Samvara and is one of ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...