Sgrol-ljang (Green Tara)

Tibet

14th-15th century

Bronze with turquoise and gold

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Green Tara (Sanskrit: Shyamatara) is one of the most revered female bodhisattvas, a being who postpones enlightenment to assist others on earth. She is the companion of the Cosmic Buddha Sangay Donyotrubpa (Sanskrit: Amoghasiddhi) and an embodiment of infinite compassion. Remarkable for its size and age, this statue is made from pieces of sheet copper—some now missing—that were hammered, formed, and fastened together with rivets. The deity’s right hand, opened in the gift-bestowing gesture, would have rested on her right knee, now missing. Her left hand once held the stem of a lotus, which blossomed at her shoulder. Gallery G255 Gif