Green Tara

One of the most beloved deities in Himalayan and Inner Asian Buddhist traditions, Tara, known as the “saviouress,” is often appealed to through the recitation of her invocation (mantra), known to lay and religious persons alike. It is said that reciting this mantra with devotion many times strengthens one’s connection to this female deity, solicits her protection, and accumulates merit.

This sculpture has a strong Indic aesthetic and a finely modeled face. The proportionally large head with a tall hair knot, large simple hoop earrings, dark metal patina, and subtle sense of motion suggest it is an early sculpture from central Tibet.