A sandstone stele titled "The Bodhisattva Vajrapani," from Eastern India, Bihar, probably Nalanda, 7th to early 8th century. The relief shows the vajra bearing bodhisattva, protector of the Buddha and wielder of the thunderbolt. Held today by the Metropolitan Museum of Art under accession 2015.500.4.9, Asian Art department.
Facts
Origins
Date of Creation RegionBihar, probably Nalanda 1 Subject Matter
Depicted SubjectVajrapani, the bodhisattva who embodies the power of the Buddhas 1 Custody
Current LocationThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 1 Current CustodianThe Metropolitan Museum of Art 1 Custody HistoryGift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 1 Attributions
TraditionBuddhism (Mahayana bodhisattva devotion, Pala-period eastern India) 1 Physical Form
DimensionsH. 30 7/8 in. (78.4 cm); W. 23 13/16 in. (60.5 cm); D. 6 in. (15.2 cm) 1 Rights and Reproduction
Reproduction and CopyrightThe Metropolitan Museum of Art has designated this work as being in the public domain and makes it available through its Open Access policy; no permission is required for reproduction. 1 Medium (class) Connections
Associated With
Bihar, Regions This source names Bihar directly: "Vajrapani," from Eastern India, Bihar, probably Nalanda, 7th to early 8th century."
Source The Bodhisattva Vajrapani, accession 2015.500.4.9 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
This source names Nalanda directly: "from Eastern India, Bihar, probably Nalanda, 7th to early 8th century."
Source The Bodhisattva Vajrapani, accession 2015.500.4.9 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Belongs to Tradition
Source The Bodhisattva Vajrapani, accession 2015.500.4.9 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Depicts
The Met's own title for this stele names the subject outright, "The Bodhisattva Vajrapani," and the museum's own tags confirm Vajrapani by name, a narrative identification rather than a bare tag.
Source The Bodhisattva Vajrapani, accession 2015.500.4.9 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Originated In
Bihar, Regions Source The Bodhisattva Vajrapani, accession 2015.500.4.9 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
India, Regions Source The Bodhisattva Vajrapani, accession 2015.500.4.9 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Sources
1. The Bodhisattva Vajrapani, accession 2015.500.4.9 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Metropolitan Museum of Art- accession 2015.500.4.9
catalogue record, medium/object-type description
A sandstone stele titled "The Bodhisattva Vajrapani," from Eastern India, Bihar, probably Nalanda, 7th to early 8th century.
- Originated In: Bihar, Stored region property on this entity, cited to this source: Bihar, probably Nalanda
- Originated In: India, Stored country property on this entity, cited to this source: India
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