Vaiśravana, guardian king of the north

Clad in armor and seated in regal composure, Vaiśravana is revered as a guardian of the northern direction and the god of wealth and prosperity. In Tibetan Buddhism, he serves as both a worldly protector and a dispenser of spiritual and material abundance. This sculpture, created in Tsang, Tibet in 1995, continues the regional tradition of molding devotional figures from unfired clay—intended not for permanence, but for immediacy and ritual efficacy.

Depicted with a mongoose disgorging jewels—a symbol of generosity triumphing over greed—Vaiśravana occupies a crucial role in monastic and lay rituals alike.

This offering, made by collector Thomas Murray in honor of Glenn and Joan Vinson, highlights the enduring vitality of Himalayan image-making into the modern era.