{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O24880"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O24880/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9838/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9838/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK9838","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BD7367","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O24880/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O24880","accessionNumber":"IM.20-1910","objectType":"Shrine","titles":[{"title":"Vairocana","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is a relief image of Vairochana, the central figure in the mandala of the five transcendent meditational Buddhas. Each Buddha in the Tibetan tradition has a symbol, colour and directional location, and each is associated with the transformation of a negativity into an aspect of wisdom. Vairochana is associated with the transformation of anger, has the wheel as his symbol and is shown, as here, making the <i>Dharmachakra</i>, the gesture (or <i>mudra</i>) of teaching. The image is an early one and, together with the throne surround decorated with elephants and mythical animals, still shows affinities to north and east Indian art of the Pala dynasty.","physicalDescription":"Shrine with figure of Vairocana, carved wood with gilding and lacquer.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved wood with gilding and lacquer","categories":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AK9838","2006BD7367"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES394901"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Shrine","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Tibet","id":"x29910"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Monastic work; acquired during the British Expedition to Lhasa in 1904. "}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"14th century","earliest":"1300-01-01","latest":"1399-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from J.C. Stevens","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"It has an inscription in Tibetan on the back. "}],"objectHistory":"Purchased from J.C. Stevens, 38 King Street, Covent Garden. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.\r\n\r\nRP 1910- 2009M","historicalContext":"Vairocana is the eldest of the meditation Buddhas, derived from spiritual aspects of the historical Buddha.  He is associated with the sun and is probably descended from an early solar deity.  He is attended by elephants and rearing mythical creatures (yalis).\nA monstrous kirttimukha hovers above to deter disbelievers and to protect the faithful.","briefDescription":"Shrine with figure of Vairocana, carved wood with gilding and lacquer, Tibet, 14th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"G.Beguin, 1977, no.46"},{"reference":{"text":"Tibetan art / John Lowry. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1973","id":"AUTH344050"},"details":"p. 43. pl. 16","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhist","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Vairochana\r\n1300–1400\r\nOf the five meditational Buddhas worshipped in Tibet,\r\nVairochana was the central and most important. He\r\nrepresents emptiness (a quality of enlightenment) and\r\nhelps vanquish ignorance. This depiction is based on Indian\r\nprototypes. The throne back is formed by elephants and\r\nrearing mythical creatures (yalis). Above there is a protective\r\nkirttimukha head.\r\nPainted and partly gilded wood\r\nTibet\r\nMuseum no. IM.20-1910","date":{"text":"14/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-14","latest":"2011-06-14"}}],"partNumbers":["IM.20-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"20","accessionNumberPrefix":"IM","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-01","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":true}}