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Lot Essay
Vaishravana is the Guardian of the Northern Direction and the king of the Yakshas, He is associated with the deity Kubera, and is also worshipped as a God of wealth. Much like Kubera, he is shown holding his attribute of a mongoose, from which emanates a stream of jewels, pearls or coins, symbolizing abundance.
For the iconographic prototypes of the present figure, compare with paintings of Vaishravana which became popular in central Tibet in the 14th century, such as one from the Musée Guimet, exhibited in Sacred Visions: Early Paintings from Central Tibet, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1999, p.182, cat. no.52.
For the iconographic prototypes of the present figure, compare with paintings of Vaishravana which became popular in central Tibet in the 14th century, such as one from the Musée Guimet, exhibited in Sacred Visions: Early Paintings from Central Tibet, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1999, p.182, cat. no.52.