Dakini
Tibetan; Nepali
Description
Subject Matter:
Tentatively identified as a dakini, a "sky walker": a popular type of goddess in Tibetan Buddhism. Dakinis are shown naked, and as in this image, usually wear a garland of skulls and carry a skull cup. In this example the goddess holds a vajra ("thunderbolt," a ritual scepter) in her upraised right hand, rather than the more usual chopper. She sways in a dance pose, bending her right knee and balancing precariously on her right foot—which crushes a tiny figure underneath. She is nakekd apart from jewelry and a long garland of skulls. The symbolism for such images is complex, but broadly speaking, dakinis represesnt the spontaneous energy of the mind stripped of delusion and defilements.
Dakinis are a popular subject in Himalayan art.
Physical Description:
A bronze image of a dancing figure, cast in the cire perdue (lost wax) technique in one piece with its lotus-petal base.
Usage Rights:
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.