Buddha Shakyamuni

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 2
IIIF

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At A Glance

On View
  • Period

    1735-1796
  • Geography

    Mongolia
  • Material

    Gilded copper alloy with traces of pigment
  • Dimension

    H x W: 32 x 20.5 x 17 cm (12 5/8 x 8 1/16 x 6 11/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    S2015.28.6a-b
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_S2015.28.6a-b

Object Details

  • Label

    The historical Buddha Shakyamuni (sage of the Lion Clan) lived and taught in northern India from approximately 480 – 400 bce. Seated Shakyamuni images are characteristically represented with the left hand holding a begging bowl and the right hand lowered in the earth-touching gesture that signifies the moment of enlightenment.
    This Buddha has a long torso and a slender face with high, arched brows and sinuously curved eyes; the folds of his heavy garment are unusual and the small begging bowl in his left hand appears to be original.
    Inscribed in Chinese, Tibetan, Manchu and Mongolian, the image is dated to the Qianlong period (1735-96). It was probably crafted at Dolonnor or Beijing (the two great workshops of Buddhist imagery at this time in China); the four languages of the inscription further suggest an imperial workshop. The inscription has not yet been satisfactorily translated but it may identify the Budddha as Bhadashri, one of the thirty-five Buddhas of Compassion.
  • Collection

    Arthur M. Sackler Collection
  • Exhibition History

    The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room (March 12, 2022 - ongoing)
    Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia (October 14, 2017 to February 6, 2022)
    The Tibetan Shrine from the Alice S. Kandell Collection (March 13, 2010 to November 27, 2016)
  • Origin

    Mongolia
  • Credit Line

    The Alice S. Kandell Collection
  • Type

    Sculpture
  • On View

    Sackler Gallery 26a: The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

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