Vajracarya Priest's Crown
This handsome crown features a pronounced towering summit, which echoes one seen in the Ajanta mural painting (a reproduction of which is also displayed in Crowns of the Vajra Masters: Ritual Art of Nepal). The openwork medallions are particularly refined and display the skill of Newar artists in working sheet copper. The lotus bloom and stem openwork panels are also exceptional for their quality of execution and point to an early date in the chronology of these crown types. They can be understood as directly descending stylistically from the earliest known example, dated by inscription to 1145.
Artwork Details
- Title: Vajracarya Priest's Crown
- Date: ca. 13th century
- Culture: Nepalese
- Medium: Copper, gold, crystal, turquoise
- Dimensions: H. 14 in. (35.6 cm); W. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm); D. 9 in. (22.9 cm); Wt. 4 lb. 0.4 oz. (1825.7 g)
- Classification: Helmets
- Credit Line: Gift of Bashford Dean, 1906
- Object Number: 06.191
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.