# Guardian Figure

- By: anonymous
- Date: 1800 - 1900
- Medium: paper, ink, dye
- Classification: painting
- Dimensions: height 118.5 cm x width 63 cm x depth 2.3 cm x length 118 cm x width 62.5 cm
- Credit line: On loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands (purchase Felix Tikotin, 1947)
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/AK-MAK-180--15e30783ed0f0858afe9f304eaf7a32e)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/web/b5979a064d099c92599b8325c186c160.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

This painting was part of a set of four, each one portraying a protective deity. They were used in temples as hanging banners during outdoor public rituals. The muscular figure wields a large vajra. Derived from an Indian weapon, this implement represents not only the indestructibility of Buddhist law but also the power of Buddha in overcoming evil.