Indian ca. 850
The celestial woman’s body bends, as if from the weight of her breasts, just as the mango tree is pulled down by the heavy fruit. The monkey is a playful spectator of this masterful play of rounded flesh and lively strands of gems. The figure was originally placed high as a ceiling support in the hall attached to a temple sanctuary, where it suggested fertility and abundance.
The Walters Art Museum
Nepalese, ca.1400
Vajravarahi, the “thunderbolt boar,” is the Wisdom belonging to the identification deity Chakrasamvara. She is said to have initiated some of the mahasiddhas (legendary meditation masters with magical abilities). The sow’s head sticking out from behind her right ear is a reminder that some of the Wisdoms have ties with the wild and the inexplicable.
The Walters Art Museum
Flemish or French
1575-1675
The Walters Art Museum
Print made by Cornelis Schut
1612-1655 (c)
The British Museum
