Depicted with a kingly appearance on early sculptures, the four guardian kings (also known as heavenly kings) are often clad in Mongolian armour and thick felt boots on later ones.
1500-1600 AD, Nepal, Dhritarashtra, (gilt copper or copper alloy) repoussé, 17 cm, photo on Fondation Alain Bordier , item ABS-390 at the Tibet Museum in Gruyères (Switzerland).
1500-1600 AD, Nepal, Dhritarashtra, gilt copper alloy, size not given, photo on Fondation Alain Bordier , item ABS-389 at the Tibet Museum in Gruyères (Switzerland).
1482-1768/9, Nepal, Guardian King, copper, photo 17375 on Huntington Archive, banner at the Jana Baha, Kel Tole, Kathmandu City, Kathmandu District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.
Dhritarashtra, guardian of the east on a mandala and king of the gandharvas, always holds a lute.
16th-17th century, Nepal, Virupa or Virupaksha possibly, terracotta, photo on wisdomlib, at the Patan Museum (Nepal).
1482-1768/9, Nepal, Guardian King, copper, photo 17383 on Huntington Archive, banner at the Jana Baha, Kel Tole, Kathmandu City, Kathmandu District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.
Virupaksha, guardian of the west and king of the nagas, usually holds a stupa or a jewel in one hand and a snake in the other (or just a snake in both hands).
1601-1768/9 CE, Nepal, guardian king, terracotta, photo 50381 on Huntington Archive, at the Mahabuddha Temple, Mahabuddha Tole, Patan City, Lalitpur District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.
1482-1768/9 CE, Guardian King, copper, photo 18515 on Huntington Archive, Kwathandau Tole, Bhaktapur City, Bhaktapur District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.
1482-1768/9, Nepal, Guardian King, copper, photo 17383 on Huntington Archive, banner at the Jana Baha, Kel Tole, Kathmandu City, Kathmandu District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.
Virudhaka, guardian of the south and king of the khumbandas, holds a sword in his right hand and a jewel in the other, or just a sword in both hands. He sometimes wears a makara helmet.
1482-1768/9 CE, Guardian King, copper, photo 18513 on Huntington Archive, Kwathandau Tole, Bhaktapur City, Bhaktapur District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.
1482-1768/9, Nepal, Guardian King, copper, photo 17384 on Huntington Archive, banner at the Jana Baha, Kel Tole, Kathmandu City, Kathmandu District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.
Undated, Nepal, Vaishravana, metal, private collection, item 10843 on HAR
Vaishravana, guardian of the north, king of the yakshas, dharmapala, wealth deity and meditational deity, usually sits sideways on a lion, dressed in armour and holding a mongoose in his left hand and a banner of victory or a parasol in the other (missing here). Early works depict him without a lion.
Himalayan Buddhist Art - Art Bouddhiste de l'Himalaya 