53 - Temple guardian

Temple guardian with a proud and fierce demeanor. Wood, erosion, damage, cracks. Jumla region, western Nepal. H. 152 × W. 28 × D. 18 cm. Publication: - Éric Chazot, Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert, *Himalayas – Art & Shamans*, Paris, LMDD, 2009, Volume I, No. 106. This large temple guardian is associated with the shrine of Babiro Masta, the tutelary deity of the Jumla region in western Nepal. Its tall, slender, and upright silhouette seems to stand between earth and sky, in a proud and fierce posture. The headdress, necklace, belt, and shoulder strap appear to be the attributes of a figure endowed with ritual authority. Despite the erosion of the wood, the sculpture retains a rare elegance, as if time had only reinforced its silent dignity.