What if wrathful power could also protect and heal? This 18th-century Mongolian appliqué from the Rubin’s collection depicts Makzor Gyelmo (Queen Who Repels Armies), a form of Palden Lhamo, one of Tibet’s principal female protector deities and the most popular form of the goddess in Mongolia. Appliqué is a textile technique in which pieces of silk are cut, layered, and stitched onto a base to form an image. This example is richly embellished with pearls, coral, and gold-wrapped horsehair, creating a shimmering surface full of texture and detail. Makzor Gyelmo is a wrathful emanation of Sarasvati, goddess of arts and learning. In Mongolia she is also known as Fierce Tara and is believed to cure illnesses by swallowing them and transforming them in her bag of diseases. We wrap up this year’s “Himalayan Art Up Close” series with Rubin Senior Curator Dr. Karl Debreczeny and Smarthistory’s Dr. Beth Harris. Watch the full series on our YouTube channel for more close looks at Himalayan ar...