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Attributes of Kubera in a 'Rgyan Tshogs' Banner

Image credit: Wellcome Collection

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The attributes of Kubera ('Lord of Horses'), a wealth-protecting deity and an aspect of Vaiśravaṇa, the guardian king of the northerly direction. This is a comparatively quiet and peaceful painting indicating that Kubera is not a wrathful deity but associated with wealth and its pleasures. It is embellished with garlands of jewels instead of the garlands of entrails shown in the more sombre paintings in this series. In the centre is an offering cake in the form of a pagoda with four steps leading up to it. On the highest step is a mongoose or ichneumon (usually a handheld attribute of Kubera) spitting jewels into a vessel filled with jewels. On the third step can be seen a double drum, a pair of king's earrings, a pair of queen's earrings and a bundle of crossed sticks which has been interpreted as the wood used for cremations, a kind of memento mori.

Wellcome Collection

London

Title

Attributes of Kubera in a 'Rgyan Tshogs' Banner

Medium

distemper on linen

Measurements

H 63 x W 47 cm

Accession number

47097i

Acquisition method

presumed to be part of the collection formed by Henry S. Wellcome

Work type

Banner

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Wellcome Collection

183 Euston Road, London, Greater London NW1 2BE England

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