File:Mahakala, Protector of the Tent, black.jpg

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Captions

English

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Author

Unknown author

Description

English: Mahakala, Protector of the Tent, Tibet. Distemper and gold on blue silk, Image: 29 x 20 1/2 in. (73.7 x 52.1 cm) Overall: 30 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. (76.8 x 55.2 cm). This black-ground painting is a visualization image of Mahakala as Panjarantha, the enlightened protector of Buddhism. He tramples a male corpse beneath his feet and displays a flaying knife (kartrika) in his right hand and a skull cup (kapala) in his left, implements for cutting through delusions and ignorance. A ritual wand (gandi) is balanced in the crooks of his arms. Panjaranatha is understood as the “original” Mahakala from which all other manifestations emanate. Several of the latter, along with the deity’s associates, surround him, including Brahmarupa (the “lesser Mahakala,” at left), blowing a thighbone trumpet, and Palden Lhamo (Mahakala’s consort), riding her mule. In the upper corners are two hierarchs of the Sakya lineage, over which Mahakala presides as their principal protector, and below his fearful retinue dances macabrely.

Date

circa 1650

Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art

	Native name	Metropolitan Museum of Art
	Location	Manhattan, New York City, United States of America
	Coordinates	40° 46′ 46″ N, 73° 57′ 48″ W
	Established	1870
	Website	www.metmuseum.org
	Authority file	: Q160236 VIAF: 126238294 ISNI: 0000000419368761 ULAN: 500125157 LCCN: n79129629 NLA: 36247933 WorldCat

Source/Photographer

https://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/73202 direct link

Licensing edit

This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason:

	This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States.
	This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights.

The official position taken by the Wikimedia Foundation is that "faithful reproductions of two-dimensional public domain works of art are public domain".
This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted; see Reuse of PD-Art photographs for details.

File history

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	Date/Time	Thumbnail	Dimensions	User	Comment
current	22:57, 21 March 2015		2,923 × 4,000 (8.55 MB)	Yann (talk \| contribs)	light, contrast
	22:49, 21 March 2015		2,923 × 4,000 (3.84 MB)	Yann (talk \| contribs)	{{Information \|Description={{en\|Mahakala, Protector of the Tent, Tibet. Distemper and gold on blue silk, Image: 29 x 20 1/2 in. (73.7 x 52.1 cm) Overall: 30 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. (76.8 x 55.2 cm).}} \|Source=http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection...