TIBET, 15TH CENTURY

A garland of vajras distinguishes this stand-alone figure as Sahaja Heruka Kalachakra, who is typically pictured in union with his consort Visvamitra. The present wrathful male heruka (or blood-drinker) is a meditational deity with the power to equip practitioners with the ability to transcend time and the other conventional realities Tantric Buddhist practitioners aim to surpass. Adorned in vajra ornaments of all kinds, the appearance of this figure is meant to exude the immutable nature that defines him. His posture and upturned toes give life to the sculpture. The present bronze is a rare example of Kalachakra in singular form and was expertly crafted in the 15th century. Similarities to works from Densatil Monastery and the atelier of Sonam Gyeltsen point to this date of origin, as do the carefully-inlaid garnet and turquoise elements that punctuate the jewelry.