A LIMESTONE STELE OF GREEN TARA, NEPAL, 15TH-16TH CENTURY The finely carved stone frieze depicts Tara in lalitasana on a double lotus base, below a small image of Buddha Amoghasiddhi with his hands in dharmachakra mudra, all within an elaborately carved and beaded halo. Provenance: From an old German private collection. Condition: Remnants of ancient lacquer gilding. Losses as visible on image. Superb natural patina with an unctuous surface and fine old wear. Weight: 4.1 kg Dimensions: Height 26 cm Tara is Sanskrit for "star" or "constellation" and also relates to the verb tar, "to lead over or guide across." Thus, the goddess's name indicates her role as a beacon on the Buddhist path to enlightenment. Although her attributes vary, here she appears in the form associated with the Buddha Amoghasiddhi (denoting the "all-accomplishing insight" attained by Buddha during his enlightenment) and like him, she is green. She has two hands in this form: her right hand in the gesture of gift bestowing and her left holding the stalk of a closed blue lotus. Literature comparison: Compare with a related frieze from the Pala period, Northern India, accession number 1995.136, at the Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA. 石灰石綠度母碑，尼泊爾，十五至十六世紀 精美雕刻綠度母坐蓮，其上方為一尊不空成就佛小像，他雙手結説法印。後有光背。 來源：德國私人老收藏 品相：古代金漆殘余。損失可見細圖。 細膩的天然包漿，老磨損。 重量：4.1 公斤 尺寸：高26 厘米