Artwork preview

The Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahisasura Mardini)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The sculpture depicts a woman with a round halo behind her head. The woman has four arms. She wears earrings and bracelets. Her right arm is raised. She holds a broken tusk in her left hand. A buffalo demon lies under her right foot. A lion or tiger stands under her left foot. The woman appears to be stepping on or kicking the buffalo. The buffalo demon has a human-like head with a long snout. A human-like figure emerges from the buffalo's body. There are figures on either side of the woman. The figure on the left appears to be holding a bow. The figure on the right appears to be holding an axe or weapon. The sculpture has a decorative border at the bottom. The sculpture is rectangular with rounded corners. The sculpture appears to be made of clay. The background of the image features a gradient from dark gray at the top to light gray at the bottom.

Artwork Details

Date
10th century
Medium
Sandstone
Culture
India (Rajasthan)
Dimensions
468 × 624 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette