Durga slaying Mahisa

This small copper image shows the Hindu goddess Durga slaying the Buffalo demon Mahisa. Durga is the embodiment of female energy. This power was the only force strong enough to destroy Mahisa, who threatened world order and the authority of the other gods.

The sculpture is an extraordinary example of early Nepalese repousse skills. In this technique the metalworker works from the back or underside of the metal to create the image in relief.

This representation of Durga should have four arms (one is missing here). The four-armed form is rarely seen in Nepal beyond the 11th century, when she typically appears with eight or more arms. The energy of the goddess trampling the buffalo is awesome. Her raised foot would have rested on a lion of the type represented by the ivory throne legs on display in the V&A (Museum nos. IS 269 & A-1960).