Himalayan Art Resources

Sculpture Set: Twelve Goddesses of Tibet

Tenma Chunyi Iconography

This sculpture set was most likely part of a larger composition. The Twelve Goddesses are commonly found as retinue figures accompanying Shri Devi Magzor Gyalmo and Tseringma. Magzorma herself has two special attendants and four close retinue figures called the Goddesses of the Four Seasons. Sometimes the five Tseringma Sisters are included in the outer retinue.

The total number of figures in this sculptural composition was most probably nineteen in number. It would be twenty-four if the Tseringma Sisters were also included.

The sculpture set depicted here is likely part of a Chinese Imperial commission created sometime between the early to mid 18th century.

The first two images, 34071 and 34072, and the last image, 36240 are not in the black and white photo depicting five of the goddesses from the set.

Jeff Watt 8-2014 [updated 3-2020]

(From the Hotel Druot auction, Paris, France, 1904).