TIBET, 18TH CENTURY

Kurukulla also known as the "Goddess of Power" is a tantric Buddhist meditational deity in Vajrayana Buddhism. Her red skin recalls her status as a manifestation of the red Amitabha Buddha. She is recalled for tantric rituals, to bewitch men of all ranks, including kings. She is always depicted as ferocious, with a headdress of skulls and bone ornaments, and dancing on a pile of bodies. The rocky green-blue landscape and style of lotus base is reminiscent of the Tashilhunpo style in Central Tibet.