Chinese Hand Carved Depiction of Mahakala

Flames rise behind him, a crown of skulls sits on his brow, and every inch is carved.

This hand carved depiction of Mahakala comes from China and dates to the Late 19th / Early 20th C. It is boxwood. Mahakala is a wrathful protector deity in Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism, whose fierce form is generally understood to guard the faithful and remove obstacles. Here he strides forward in a wide stance on a lotus pedestal, a mace raised in one hand and an axe at his side. His glaring face, bulging eyes and bared fangs sit beneath a five-pointed crown, with a curling aureole of flames behind. The fine-grained wood glows a warm golden brown. It is 6.5 inches wide, 3 deep and 8 high.

Fierce on purpose, and carved with great care.