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.
Ekajata Attribute Mandala
Ekajata is an aggressive form of Tara and a guardian of secret mantras for the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. This mandala exhibits a rare composition and incorporates grisly visuals to emphasize ritual efficacy. Two of Ekajata’s attributes—a human heart and a trident—replace her figural representation in the painting’s innermost zone, which is inscribed within triangular and circular infernos. The square palace resembles a traditional mandala, except that its walls comprise human entrails and bones, and the four gates are marked by impaled human and animal corpses. The structure is enveloped by a flayed cadaver, oceans of blood, and ultimately a black smoky abyss, alluding to textual descriptions of the goddess.
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