Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity
Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava - Art for Eternity

Nepalese Terracotta Mask of Bhairava

15998

PRICE ON REQUEST
$5,500.00
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.
  • Free worldwide shipping

This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Nepal (Newar), Kathmandu Valley, 18th–19th century (earlier dating possible but not scientifically tested).

A powerfully modeled terracotta mask of Bhairava, the fierce emanation of the Hindu god Shiva. The ferocious face bares its fangs within an open mouth, set below bulging eyes and flaming brows, all surmounted by a tiara of skulls; behind, the hair stands on end in rich curling locks framing the head like a flaming aureole. Traces of red and dark pigment remain across the modeled surface, and the reverse retains the rough, hollow-formed construction with suspension/firing holes consistent with ritual use and genuine age. Such masks were created for Newar ritual and festival use in the Kathmandu Valley, where Bhairava is venerated as a fierce protector.

Dimensions: 9 in. (22.9 cm) high, plus plexiglass mount

Condition: Well-preserved with surviving pigment; surface wear and deposits consistent with age and ritual use

Reference
Cf. P. Pal, Icons of Piety, Images of Whimsy: Asian Terra-Cottas from the Walter-Grounds Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1987, no. 44.

Provenance: Mary McFadden (1938–2024)  "The Archaeologist of Seventh Avenue"
Mary was one of the most distinctive and intellectually adventurous American fashion designers of the late twentieth century, celebrated for collections that drew directly on the art and dress of ancient and non-Western civilizations. Her signature finely pleated "Marii" silk gowns evoked the chitons of classical Greece and the pleated linens of pharaonic Egypt, while her use of color, ornament, and motif borrowed openly from Africa, Asia, pre-Columbian America, and the ancient Mediterranean. This deep engagement with the material culture of the past earned her the memorable nickname "the Archaeologist of Seventh Avenue."

A former editor at Vogue and a tireless world traveler, McFadden was as much a collector and connoisseur as a couturier. She assembled an eclectic personal collection of antiquities and ethnographic art gathered over decades of travel, which she frequently cited as the inspiration for her designs. Her work was widely exhibited and collected, and she was inducted into the Coty American Fashion Critics' Hall of Fame, cementing her reputation as a designer whose creativity was rooted in the study of the ancient world.

All pieces are unconditionally guaranteed authentic and as described in perpetuity and have been legally acquired and imported in full accordance with U.S. and applicable foreign regulations regarding the movement and sale of antiquities.

A signed guarantee of authenticity with a description and photograph of the item(s) accompanies this object.

We ship Tuesday to Friday with UPS or USPS and usually same day if your order is received before 2pm. Depending on size and destination, delivery times range from one to five business days.

For overseas shipments our shipping charge includes packing, preparation of all customs paperwork, insurance and carrier fees in compliance with all USA and International customs requirements.

Overseas shipments are usually sent by courier but contact us if you have a shipping preference. International customers are responsible for all duties and taxes. 

You may also like

Recently viewed

Back to China