GODDESS TARA "PAINTED WOOD"
             The museum I visited was THE ART INSTITITE OF CHICAGO. The artwork I choose was Goddess Tara. This piece was made out of wood and its culture of origin is Nepal. The period that this artwork was done was the 14th century. For this specific artwork there is no artist known. This piece is a combination of a few things. Tara is Hindu and Buddhist. In Hindu Mythology she was the wife of Brihaspati, was raped by the Moon god Soma. As a result of the rap a war broke out between the gods and demons. It ended by the intervention of the god Brahma.
             The Buddhist goddess Tara is one of the few females found within Buddhism. She as a Buddhist savior goddess. She is widely popular in Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia. Tara is the counterpart of the Bodhisattva known as Avalokitesvara. She came into existence from tear of Avalokitesvara, which fell to the ground and formed a lake. Out to the water rose up an open lotus where she was revealed. Also, as Buddhist goddess she worshiped for protection and of navigation and earthly travel, as well as spiritual travel along the path to Enlightment.
             In Tibet she is believed to be incarnated in every pious woman, and the two co wives- as a Chinese princess and a Nepali princess- of the first Buddhist king of Tibet. There were two identities of Tara. The White Tara was incarnated as the Chinese princess. She symbolizes purity and is often presented standing at the right had of her consort, or seated with legs crossed holding a full-blown lotus. The Green Tara who was a Nepalese Princess, she offers the gifts of compassion and healing and protects against danger and threats. The White and the Green Taras, with their symbols of the full blown and closed lotus, are said to symbolize between them the unending compassion of the deity who labors both day and night. There is more than just the White and Green Tara; there are 21 different forms of Tara. She is dif
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