cir. 18th century
origin: Tibet

Guru Dragpo, a fierce emanation of the guru-saint Padmasambhava, stands astride a flaming aureole holding a ritual tool, the vajra, and a black scorpion. The skin of a tiger is drawn around his waist while the flayed skin of an elephant is draped over his shoulders. He wears a crown adorned with skulls and a garland of severed heads. In this wrathful meditational form, Guru Dragpo was an important protector deity of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. In the upper register are depictions, from left, of Manjushri, Shadakshari Lokesvara, Amitabha, Padmasambhava, and the wrathful deity Hayagriva. In the lower register appear the ireful deities of Guru Dragpo’s retinue, including blue Vajrapani to the left and the yaksha Jambhala, god of wealth, at center.