Cast bronze with fire-gilding, fine chiseling work and remainders of cold painting Tibetan-Chinese, 18th century The two-armed Mahakala holds a Vajra in his raised hand, the other showing a warning gesture (nishedha or tarjani mudra), standing on a lotus pedestal decorated with a band of pearls, backed by a leaf-form aureole and further enclosed by a petal-form mandorla, a snake coiled around his neck, his arms, feet, neck, ears and head with various pieces of extravagant jewelry, a relief-inscription in Tibetan surrounding the figure, among other things reading OM MANI PEDME HUM. Mahakala is a deity common to Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. According to Hinduism, Mahakala is the consort of Hindu Goddess Kali and most prominently appears in Kalikula sect of Shaktism. Mahakala also appears as a protector deity known as a dharmapala in Vajrayana Buddhism, particularly most Tibetan traditions (Citipati), in Tangmi (Chinese Esoteric Buddhism) and in Shingon (Japanese Esoteric Buddhism). He is known as Dàheitian in Chinese. The two-armed "Black-Cloaked Mahakala" (Wylie: mgon po ber nag chen) is a protector of the Karma Kagyu school clad in the cloak of a mantrika "warlock". His imagery derives from terma of the Nyingma school and was adopted by the Karma Kagyu during the time of Karma Pakshi, 2nd Karmapa Lama. He is often depicted with his consort, Rangjung Gyalmo, and is the main protector of the Karmapas. Shape: Rectangular form with rounded top Dimensions: 11 cm (height) 2 cm (depth) Condition: Very good condition with some wear, minor denting and scratches Provenance: Hungarian private collection Literature comparison: Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, October 5th, 2011, lot 2131. (for another small bronze stele showing an inscription in Tibetan and Mongolian, 18th century, but depicting Vajradhara) 清代銅鎏金大黑天像 品相極好，有些微磨損、凹陷與劃痕 匈牙利私人收藏