Thangka of Virupaksha, Guardian King of the West

This Tibetan thangka depicts Virupaksha with a prominent red face, bulging eyes, and a wrathful expression, framed by a fiery mandorla. He wears ornate, layered, gold-trimmed armor in hues of red and orange, with long, flowing silk scarves draped over his shoulders. In his left hand, he holds a small, tiered stupa, while his right hand rests near his waist. Below him, a small, pale attendant kneels in the clouds, gesturing toward the deity with an offering. The central figure is set against a background of stylized, swirling white clouds, mounted on a dark, patterned silk brocade border.

Virupaksha is one of the Four Heavenly Kings (Lokapala) in Buddhist cosmology, responsible for guarding the western direction and protecting the Dharma. This representation reflects the iconographic conventions of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, where the kings are depicted as martial protectors of the sacred realm.