Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Early Himalayan Art

A full catalogue of the Ashmolean's collection of diverse works from the formative periods of Himalayan art, c. AD 700-1400 by Amy Heller (published Oxford, 2008).

Early Himalayan Art by Amy Heller

Publications online: 55 objects

Reference URL

Actions

Send e-mail

Contact us about this object

Send e-mail

Send to a friend

Amulet box with Jambhala, god of plenty

  • Literature notes

    The Buddhist god of wealth, known mainly as Vaisravana, Kubera, and Jambhala, is an important and complex figure. In addition to his role as lord of wealth and prosperity, Vaisravana acts as guardian of the northern sphere of our world and as such is usually represented in armour, mounted on a lion to show his might. Here the dispenser of wealth and treasure is represented according to the Indian Sadhanamala, an anthology of rituals which describes Jambhala as small, with a large belly, adorned with a royal diadem and jewellery, as well as a scarf and garland of lotus blossoms suspended about his body. He holds the lemon in front of his chest and a small mongoose spewing jewels on his left thigh [1]. Although the lion mount is not prescribed for Jambhala in the Sadhanamala, it is a reminder of the assimilation of his iconography with that of Vaisravana [2]. The amulet box has been crafted in what appears to be a brass alloy with high tin content, rendering the metal very white, to convey the radiance associated with Jambhala.

    Jambhala's very round eyes and peaceful expression correspond to his attitude as an attentive guardian of wealth. He is far from the wrathful guardian or warrior. His stout body proportions reinforce the notion of guardian of wealth, as such corpulence is the privilege of the rich. The carving is barely recessed, the image bearing a close correspondence to the representation of Jambhala in Tibetan thangka paintings of the twelfth to fourteenth century [3]. The high chignon behind the five-leaf crown, plain disc earrings, and belt with sashes, whose edges float from his waist, all reflect Pala influence as represented in Tibetan works of art of this period. This iconography of Jambhala appears to have been popular in Tibet from c. 1100 to the early fourteenth century [4]. Subsequently it became relatively rarer, being superseded by the yellow Vaisravana, dressed in armour and holding a banner of victory and the mongoose, sitting on the snow lion [5].

    [Footnotes:]

    1 See de Mallmann, Introduction a l'iconographie du bouddhisme tantrique, p. 196, corresponding to Sadhanamala text no. 288.

    2 See de Nebesky-Wojkowitz, Oracles and Demons of Tibet, p. 68.

    3 See Kossak and Casey Singer, Sacred Visions, pl. 25, for the representation of Jambhala and Vaisravana as guardians in a painting attributed to second half of the thirteenth century.

    4 See Reynolds et al., Catalogue of the Newark Museum Tibetan Collection, pl. S8, p. 69, for a sculpture of Jambhala in this iconography but seated on a lotus throne, attributed to Tibet, 12th-13th century, reflecting stylistic influences from Pala India.

    5 See Ricca and Lo Bue, The Great Stupa of Gyantse, pls. 73-6, p. 242, for this representation of 1427 in the context of the pantheon represented at Gyantse.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia Tibet (place of creation)
    Date
    12th - 13th century (1101 - 1300)
    Material and technique
    brass; ferrous alloy insert inside
    Dimensions
    7.4 x 8.8 x 3.4 cm max. (height x width x depth)
    Material index
    Technique index
    formed cast
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Purchased, 1996.
    Accession no.
    EA1996.101
  • Further reading

    Heller, Amy, Early Himalayan Art (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 2008), no. 59 on p. 165, illus. p. 165

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Early Himalayan Art by Amy Heller

    Early Himalayan Art

    The Buddhist god of wealth, known mainly as Vaisravana, Kubera, and Jambhala, is an important and complex figure. In addition to his role as lord of wealth and prosperity, Vaisravana acts as guardian of the northern sphere of our world and as such is usually represented in armour, mounted on a lion to show his might. Here the dispenser of wealth and treasure is represented according to the Indian Sadhanamala, an anthology of rituals which describes Jambhala as small, with a large belly, adorned with a royal diadem and jewellery, as well as a scarf and garland of lotus blossoms suspended about his body. He holds the lemon in front of his chest and a small mongoose spewing jewels on his left thigh [1]. Although the lion mount is not prescribed for Jambhala in the Sadhanamala, it is a reminder of the assimilation of his iconography with that of Vaisravana [2]. The amulet box has been crafted in what appears to be a brass alloy with high tin content, rendering the metal very white, to convey the radiance associated with Jambhala.

    Jambhala's very round eyes and peaceful expression correspond to his attitude as an attentive guardian of wealth. He is far from the wrathful guardian or warrior. His stout body proportions reinforce the notion of guardian of wealth, as such corpulence is the privilege of the rich. The carving is barely recessed, the image bearing a close correspondence to the representation of Jambhala in Tibetan thangka paintings of the twelfth to fourteenth century [3]. The high chignon behind the five-leaf crown, plain disc earrings, and belt with sashes, whose edges float from his waist, all reflect Pala influence as represented in Tibetan works of art of this period. This iconography of Jambhala appears to have been popular in Tibet from c. 1100 to the early fourteenth century [4]. Subsequently it became relatively rarer, being superseded by the yellow Vaisravana, dressed in armour and holding a banner of victory and the mongoose, sitting on the snow lion [5].

    [Footnotes:]

    1 See de Mallmann, Introduction a l'iconographie du bouddhisme tantrique, p. 196, corresponding to Sadhanamala text no. 288.

    2 See de Nebesky-Wojkowitz, Oracles and Demons of Tibet, p. 68.

    3 See Kossak and Casey Singer, Sacred Visions, pl. 25, for the representation of Jambhala and Vaisravana as guardians in a painting attributed to second half of the thirteenth century.

    4 See Reynolds et al., Catalogue of the Newark Museum Tibetan Collection, pl. S8, p. 69, for a sculpture of Jambhala in this iconography but seated on a lotus throne, attributed to Tibet, 12th-13th century, reflecting stylistic influences from Pala India.

    5 See Ricca and Lo Bue, The Great Stupa of Gyantse, pls. 73-6, p. 242, for this representation of 1427 in the context of the pantheon represented at Gyantse.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum