Artwork Details

Title
Four-Armed Mahakala
Dimensions
Object: 35 3/8 × 28 1/8 in.
Medium
Pigments on cloth
Origin
Tibet
Classification(s)
paintings
Date
18th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
Object number
F1996.14.1
HAR Number
453
Published references
* Marylin M. Rhie and Robert A.F. Thurman. Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art and Wisdom of Compassion. (New York: Tibet House, 1999). Cat. 75; Pp. 296-270.

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Wrathful Deities

Figure Type

Protectors of Buddhist teachings who destroy obstacles that impede the path to enlightenment. The more frightening and gruesome their appearance, the greater their power.

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Tibetan Regions

Region

Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.

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