Small 17th Century Carving of Tara, Goddess of Compassion and Protection
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Small Antique Carving of Tara – Nepal
Size: 22 x 14.5 cm (8 ¼ x 5 ¾ inches): Weight: 304 grams (10 ½ oz)
Small Antique Carving of Tara – Nepal
Size: 22 x 14.5 cm (8 ¼ x 5 ¾ inches): Weight: 304 grams (10 ½ oz)
This delightful 17th Century carving of Tara once adorned a shrine or the front of a wealthy dignitary’s house in Nepal and was found in a Kathmandu antique shop in the mid 90s.
It depicts the Green Tara who is worshipped in both Hinduism and Buddhism as the Goddess of compassion and protection.
Carved in a hardwood, possibly ebony, it was intended to be viewed from the front as a fixture, although the back of the figure is also carved. Its base is hollowed and shaped to securely fit over a fixed support.
This charming carving’s state of preservation is near perfect.
Small carvings such as this commonly adorned the front of wealthy family mansions prior to the 18th Century and often end up in antique shops when the old wooden houses are destroyed by fire, updated or replaced. They are now very rare.