Dvarapala (Guardian Figure), 8th century CE3D Model
Dvarapala (Guardian Figure), 8th century CE, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
From the sculptures description on artsmia.org:
‘Guardian figures called Dvarapala were located at entrances to Buddhist cave sanctuaries and temple compounds where they acted to thwart any forces opposing Buddhist thought. As such, they were dramatically depicted in vigorous poses with threatening facial expressions and exaggerated muscular structure ready to confront all threats. Typically made in pairs, one Dvarapala will be represented as uttering the cosmic sound “a” (open mouthed) and the other, as the case is here, the sound “un” with a closed mouth. These sounds are the first and last letters of the Sanskrit alphabet symbolizing the beginning and end of all things, reminding us of the brevity of life.’
More information here
CC0 Public DomainCC0 Public Domain
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