On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Mahamayuri on peacock
Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Xuande mark and period (1426–35)
This majestic statue portrays Mahamayuri, known in Chinese as Kongque Mingwang (Peacock Wisdom King), a protector against calamities and a dispeller of poisons from snakebites. This esoteric Buddhist icon reflects an imaginative fusion of Chinese and Tibetan iconographies in the imperial Ming workshop. In the Chinese Buddhist tradition, the icon often has only one face and four arms, while the icon in Tibetan Buddhism does not usually ride a peacock. This new representation of Mahamayuri continued into later centuries. The meticulous treatment of the bodhisattva’s crown and jewelry and the realistic depiction of the peacock exemplify the highest level of craftsmanship achieved in imperial Ming bronzes.
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