The Goddess Durga Victorious over the Buffalo Demon, Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini)
Unknown Artist
9th century
Medium
Volcanic stone (Andesite)
Dimensions
H. 60 1/16 in. (152.5 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture & Period
Indonesia (Java) · Central Javanese period
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bruckmann, Mr. and Mrs. Perry J. Lewis, and Anonymous Gifts, 1988
Accession Number
1988.160
Tags
Art Historical Context
This monumental sculpture from 9th-century Java captures the triumphant Hindu goddess Durga, known as Mahishasuramardini, slaying the buffalo demon Mahisha. Carved in the Central Javanese period, vividly depicts the divine warrior poised in dynamic victory, her multiple arms wielding weapons to pierce the demon's form—a classic icon of good prevailing over evil in Hindu mythology. Standing over five feet tall (60 1/16 in. high), the figure commands awe, embodying the era's reverence for protective deities. Crafted from durable volcanic andesite stone, quarried locally from Java's volcanic lan...