Achala, Destroyer of Evils
Artist/maker unknown, Nepalese
Geography:
Made in Nepal, Asia
Date:
Early 16th centuryMedium:
Gilded bronze with turquoise, spinel rubies, and lapis lazuli or azuriteDimensions:
3 7/8 × 3 5/8 × 2 3/4 inches (9.8 × 9.2 × 7 cm)Curatorial Department:
South Asian ArtObject Location:
1975-22-1Credit Line:
Bequest of Erwin Swann, 1975
Made in Nepal, Asia
Date:
Early 16th centuryMedium:
Gilded bronze with turquoise, spinel rubies, and lapis lazuli or azuriteDimensions:
3 7/8 × 3 5/8 × 2 3/4 inches (9.8 × 9.2 × 7 cm)Curatorial Department:
South Asian ArtObject Location:
Currently not on view
Accession Number:1975-22-1Credit Line:
Bequest of Erwin Swann, 1975
Social Tags [?]
achala [x] buddhist [x] late malla [x] nepalese [x] newar [x] sculpture [x]Achala raises his sword to cut away ignorance. He once also held a lasso used to guide wandering souls. The whirling tassels of his scarf emphasize the dynamism of his namesake posture, Achala-asana, characterized by lunging forward on the right leg, the left knee bent and left foot raised skyward. A popular deity among Buddhist Newars in Nepal, Achala is depicted as both a central and supporting figure in many paintings. The pleated front tassel and incised floral patterns on his skin-tight shorts (dhoti) are characteristic of Malla period costume and refined sculptures of the era.
