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The Goddess Durga Slaying the Demon Buffalo Mahisha

12th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 238
This sculpture portrays the sixteen-armed form of the goddess Durga as the slayer of the demon buffalo Mahisha. The array of arms, each displaying a weapon, creates a kinetic energy in the image, no doubt all the more powerful when contemplated in a shrine dimly illuminated by oil lamps. This work is among the finest Indian miniature sculptures of the Pala-Sena period.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Goddess Durga Slaying the Demon Buffalo Mahisha
  • Period: Pala-Sena period
  • Date: 12th century
  • Culture: Bangladesh or India (Bengal)
  • Medium: Argillite
  • Dimensions: H. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm); W. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); D. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Diana L. and Arthur G. Altschul Gift, 1993
  • Object Number: 1993.7
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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