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Foot print of the Buddha. 1st century BCE, Gandhara 

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Foot print of the Buddha. 1st century BCE, Gandhara 

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Bodhisattva (damaged head with elongated ear lobes) - second century

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Bodhisattva (damaged head with elongated ear lobes) - second century

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Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections

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Not currently on display at the V&A

Head
second century (made)

A damaged head carved in the round, possibly of a Bodhisattva. The face has been badly disfigured, but it has characteristic bulging eyes of the second century. The long-lobed ears must previously have had heavy earrings. The most notable feature of the carving is the elaborate turban tied in such a way to form a cockade in the front above a metal clasp, known as a maulimani.

Categories

Materials and Techniques

Carved mottled red sandstone

Brief Description

Bodhisattva; Sculpture, red sandstone, Mathura, early C2

Physical Description

A damaged head carved in the round, possibly of a Bodhisattva. The face has been badly disfigured, but it has characteristic bulging eyes of the second century. The long-lobed ears must previously have had heavy earrings. The most notable feature of the carving is the elaborate turban tied in such a way to form a cockade in the front above a metal clasp, known as a maulimani.

Dimensions

Height: 12.125in

Width: 7.5in

Depth: 8in

Credit line

Given by K.de B. Codrington, Esq.

Accession Number

About this object record

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bodhisattva | V&A Explore The Collections

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Not currently on display at the V&A Headsecond century (made) A damaged head carved in the round, possibly of a Bodhisattva. The face has been badly disfigured, but it has characteristic bulging eyes of the second century. The long-lobed ears must previously have had heavy earrings.

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Seated Buddha from Mathura, early 3rd Century

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Seated Buddha from Mathura, early 3rd Century

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Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections

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Seated Buddha | Unknown | V&A Explore The Collections

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Seated Buddha figure in pleated robes, torso with missing head and hands, pink mottled sandstone, Mathura, early 3rd century

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The decent of the Buddha from the Trayastrimsha heaven 3rd Century

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The decent of the Buddha from the Trayastrimsha heaven 3rd Century

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The Death of the Buddha (Parinirvana), 3rd Century Pakistan (Kushan Period)

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The Death of the Buddha (Parinirvana), 3rd Century Pakistan (Kushan Period)

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Buddhist Stele from Myanmar, C. 5th Century CE

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Buddhist Stele from Myanmar, C. 5th Century CE

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Standing Buddha, 5th-9th century, Bujang Valley, Kedah. Collection of ACM, Singapore. 

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Standing Buddha, 5th-9th century, Bujang Valley, Kedah. Collection of ACM, Singapore. 

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Buddha Sakyamuni Preaching from Thailand, 7th - 8th Century

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Buddha Sakyamuni Preaching from Thailand, 7th - 8th Century

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections

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On display at V&A South Kensington

South-East Asia, Room 47a

Figure
7th- 8th century (made)

The Buddha sits in an unusual posture with his legs crossed at the ankles and makes the gesture of exposition or vitarka mudra with his left hand, rather than with the more usual right. The style of the figure, with distinctive square shoulders and narrow waist, relates closely to stone sculptures at the Dvaravati period site of Si T'ep, in Petchaburi Province.

Categories

Object Type

Materials and Techniques

Dimensions

Gallery Label

Object history

Gift from Ms. Shirley Day. in November 1992, in memory of Antony Gardner.

Provenance:

The plaque was acquired by the late Mr. Christian Humann before 1970 for the Pan-Asian Collection, which was subsequently purchased by Mr.Robert Ellsworth, New York from whom Shirley Day Limited acquired it.

Probably found in Si Thep, Phetchaburi province.

Subject depicted

Bibliographic References

Exhibited and published in the Asia Society exhibition, The Ideal Image, 1978, cat. no.82, New York: P.Pal.

Lost Kingdoms : Hindu-Buddhist sculpture of early Southeast Asia / John Guy ; with essays by Pierre Baptiste, Lawrence Becker, Bérénice Bellina, Robert L. Brown, Federico Carò, Pattaratorn Chirapravati, Janet G. Douglas, Arlo Griffiths, Agustijanto Indradjaya, Le Thi Lien, Pierre-Yves Manguin, Stephen A. Murphy, Ariel O'Connor, Peter Skilling, Janice Stargardt, Donna Strahan, U Thein Lwin, Geoff Wade, U Win Kyaing, Hiram Woodward, and Thierry Zéphir. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Costume Institute), c2014 Number: 9781588395245 (MMA), 1588395243 (MMA), 9780300204377 (Yale), 030020437X (Yale), 9786167339481, 6167339481p. 211, cat.no. 121, ill.

Collection

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Buddha Sakyamuni Preaching | Unknown | V&A Explore The Collections

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On display at V&A South Kensington South-East Asia, Room 47a Figure7th- 8th century (made) The Buddha sits in an unusual posture with his legs crossed at the ankles and makes the gesture of exposition or vitarka mudra with his left hand, rather than with the more usual right.

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Panel of a Portable Buddhist Shrine, 8th Century India

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Panel of a Portable Buddhist Shrine, 8th Century India

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Buddha Attended by Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya, 8th century, Sumatra or Southern Thailand

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Buddha Attended by Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya, 8th century, Sumatra or Southern Thailand

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Seated Figure of a Bodhisattva - late 9th century to early 10th century

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Seated Figure of a Bodhisattva - late 9th century to early 10th century

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections

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On display at V&A South Kensington

Buddhism, Room 17, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Galleries of Buddhist Art

Sculpture
late 9th century - early 10th century (made)

This figure of a bodhisattva reflects the popularity of Mahayana Buddhism in Java at this time (9th-10th century). The presence of a double or crossed vajra in one of the figure's hands suggests the presence of tantric or Vajrayana elements which were to become important in Java during the 12th to 14th centuries. The bodhisattva may be a form of Sarvanivaranarishkambhin.

Categories

Materials and Techniques

Physical Description

A four armed seated figure carved from volcanic stone. The upper right arm holds a sword, the lower raised in abhaya mudra, the upper left holds a visvavajra and the lower rests in the lap in dhyana mudra. The legs are crossed in padmasana. The figure wears a crown and other bodhisattva ornaments and sits on a doubler lotus throne.

Dimensions

Height: 119cm

Width: 58cm

Depth: 30cm

Weight: 290kg

Gallery Label

Object history

Bought from Willaim Clayton Ltd.

Historical context

The figure has four arms, the upper right holding a sword, the lower raised in abhaya mudra; the upper left holds a visvarajra and the lower rests in the lap in dhyana mudra. The legs are crossed in virasana. The figure wears a crown and other Bodhisattva ornaments and is seated on a low dais which rests on a double lotus throne which, in turn, rests on a low platform.

The style is similar to that of the art of Plaosan which correspnds to the late Central Javanese period of about 1000 AD (see B Kempers `Ancient Indonesian Art' pl 135) or, possibly, to the earlier style of the Dieng Plateau of about the late 9th or early 10th century (see ibid, pl 28)

The iconography is uncertain. The figure is similar to an illustration of Sarvanivaranarishkambhin in B Bhattacharrya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, pl 64 which is, however, only two armed. Dr P H Pott (in a letter in the R/pp) says that the iconography is unusual in Javanese art and tentatively suggests an identification of Visvapani.

Production

Summary

This figure of a bodhisattva reflects the popularity of Mahayana Buddhism in Java at this time (9th-10th century). The presence of a double or crossed vajra in one of the figure's hands suggests the presence of tantric or Vajrayana elements which were to become important in Java during the 12th to 14th centuries. The bodhisattva may be a form of Sarvanivaranarishkambhin.

Accession Number

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Seated Figure of a Bodhisattva | Unknown | V&A Explore The Collections

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On display at V&A South Kensington Buddhism, Room 17, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Galleries of Buddhist Art Sculpturelate 9th century - early 10th century (made) This figure of a bodhisattva reflects the popularity of Mahayana Buddhism in Java at this time (9th-10th century).

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Seated Buddha (also known as Alodawpyi or Wishfulfilling Buddha), 11th century, Bagan, Myanmar. Collection of Bagan Archaeological Museum. 

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Seated Buddha (also known as Alodawpyi or Wishfulfilling Buddha), 11th century, Bagan, Myanmar. Collection of Bagan Archaeological Museum. 

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Vat Manorom, Luang Prabang Laos. 6m tall and 12 tones in weight

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Walking Buddha, Lan Na, dated 1482, National Museum, Bangkok (Listopad, 2012)

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Walking Buddha, Lan Na, dated 1482, National Museum, Bangkok (Listopad, 2012)

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Column surround with pensive women. 14th-15th century. Indonesia (Java)

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Column surround with pensive women. 14th-15th century. Indonesia (Java)

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It's an ornamental piece, very often to decorated houses. They are from the Javanese kingdom of Majapahit.

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Walking Buddha, Wat Phra Chetuphon, Sukhothai, 15th century (Listopad, 2012)

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Walking Buddha, Wat Phra Chetuphon, Sukhothai, 15th century (Listopad, 2012)

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Seated Loa Buddha in front of a Naga 18th centaury 

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Seated Loa Buddha in front of a Naga 18th centaury 

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Statue from Vat Mai Suwannaphumaham temple, Luang Prabang, Loas

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Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Not currently on display at the V&A

Banner paintings of this type were produced to decorate the image house (bot) within a Thai temple (wat). The bot is used for the assembly of monks for sermons and for ordination ceremonies. These buildings are often decorated with mural and banner paintings illustrating scenes from Buddhist literature. This painting depicts in the upper scene the Buddha flanked by two disciples. The calm of the figures contrasts dramatically with the lower section in which the meditating Buddha is seen resisting the forces of Mara (the personification of evil), in a scene known as Maravijaya (victory over Mara). Beneath the seated Buddha appears the goddess of the Earth who wrings from her hair the water which overwhelms Buddha's assailants, seen submitting to Buddha amidst the swirling waters. Note the presence of a European (Dutch) horseman in 17th century dress amongst the assailants.

Categories

Materials and Techniques

Brief Description

Buddhist temple painting (gouache on cotton), Thailand (Siam), mid 19th century.

Physical Description

Banner paintings of this type were produced to decorate the image house (bot) within a Thai temple (wat). The bot is used for the assembly of monks for sermons and for ordination ceremonies. These buildings are often decorated with mural and banner paintings illustrating scenes from Buddhist literature. This painting depicts in the upper scene the Buddha flanked by two disciples. The calm of the figures contrasts dramatically with the lower section in which the meditating Buddha is seen resisting the forces of Mara (the personification of evil), in a scene known as Maravijaya (victory over Mara). Beneath the seated Buddha appears the goddess of the Earth who wrings from her hair the water which overwhelms Buddha's assailants, seen submitting to Buddha amidst the swirling waters. Note the presence of a European (Dutch) horseman in 17th century dress amongst the assailants.

Dimensions

Height: 220.7cm (max.)

Top width: 95.5cm

Bottom width: 96.5cm

Gallery Label

Bibliographic Reference

Clarke, John: Arts of Asia, vol. 45, no. 5, September - October 2015, "The Buddha image in Asia: Phase One of the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Galleries of Buddhist Art", p.119, pl. 12.

Accession Number

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest Feedback

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You may also like

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Painting | Unknown | V&A Explore The Collections

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Not currently on display at the V&A Banner paintings of this type were produced to decorate the image house (bot) within a Thai temple (wat). The bot is used for the assembly of monks for sermons and for ordination ceremonies. These buildings are often decorated with mural and banner paintings illustrating scenes from Buddhist literature.

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New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Cambodian Rattan: The Sculptures of Sopheap Pich," February 23, 2013-July 7, 2013.

Washington, DC. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Cambodian Mass Atrocities, 1974-1979, and the Pursuit of Justice," April 13, 2015-October 12, 2015.

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Sopheap Pich | Buddha 2 | Cambodia | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Cambodian Rattan: The Sculptures of Sopheap Pich," February 23, 2013-July 7, 2013. Washington, DC. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Cambodian Mass Atrocities, 1974-1979, and the Pursuit of Justice," April 13, 2015-October 12, 2015.

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Stupa by Jakai Siributr at the ACM Singapore, 2012-13 (photo courtesy ACM)

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Stupa by Jakai Siributr at the ACM Singapore, 2012-13 (photo courtesy ACM)

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13th century Buddhist Shrine from Thailand or Cambodia (Southeast  Asia)

# data[].attributes.subject
13th century Buddhist Shrine from Thailand or Cambodia (Southeast  Asia)

# data[].attributes.body
This is a

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Buddhist Shrine | Thailand | Angkor period | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The American Wing Ancient Near Eastern Art Arms and Armor The Michael C.

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Buddha Offering Protection (6th-7th Century)

# data[].attributes.subject
Buddha Offering Protection (6th-7th Century)

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art, i.e. The Met Museum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Buddha | India (probably Bihar) | Gupta period | The Met

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Dating from the end of the Gupta period, this image draws on stylistic traits from both Mathura and Sarnath, the most important art centers in India at the time. In its turn, this type of northern Indian sculpture played a major role in the formation of early Nepalese styles.

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Gonkar Gyatso | Dissected Buddha | Tibet | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A mass of stickers and cut collage forms the outline of the Buddha at the moment of enlightenment. Airplanes, rockets, and other vehicles travel out through the space of his massive halo. From a purely Buddhist standpoint, the myriad surrounding figures could be referencing the attack of Mara, who rules over the realm of illusion and the endless cycle of rebirth.

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8th to 10th century Golden buddha from Java, Indonesia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sculpture of the Buddha | Indonesia (Java) | Central Javanese period | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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In accordance with New York City mandate, all visitors age 12 and older must be vaccinated against COVID-19. Masks are required for all visitors.

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A basalt statue: "Standing crowned Buddha with four scenes of his life," approx. 1050--1100. southern Magadha region, Bihar state, India.

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A basalt statue: "Standing crowned Buddha with four scenes of his life," approx. 1050--1100. southern Magadha region, Bihar state, India.

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Buddha Shakyamuni, 12th century, central Tibet

# data[].attributes.subject
Buddha Shakyamuni, 12th century, central Tibet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Buddha Shakyamuni, 12th century, central Tibet

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Posthumous Portrait of a Queen as Parvati14th century

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Posthumous Portrait of a Queen as Parvati14th century

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Bronze figure of the walking Buddha, Thailand, Sukothai period, 14th century, bronze - British Museum

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Statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokisteshvara, 16th century

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Statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokisteshvara, 16th century

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Vietnam National Museum - Lacquered wood, XVI century

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokisteshvara

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Buddha figure from Thailand, 16th Century

# data[].attributes.subject
Buddha figure from Thailand, 16th Century

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Description

Figure of Buddha, crowned and ornamented; making the earth-touching gesture (bhumisparsa-mudra) and seated on a large round lotus-flower base above a tiered hexagonal pedestal with three inscribed faces. The Buddha's ornaments consist of armlets, bracelets, pearled bands and four-petalled flowers, one of which marks the chest instead of a necklace, and a crown made of a series of tiered triangles surmounted by a finial of 'stūpa' form. Made of cast bronze.

Curator's comments

Zwalf 1985 This crowned and ornamented Buddha, making the earth-touching gesture on a large oval lotus base above a moulded hexagonal pedestal with three inscribed faces, may be considered of a mixed type combining the graceful Sukhothai tradition with the more masculine lion type of northern Thailand ... The ornaments consist of armlets, bracelets, pearled bands and four-petalled flowers, one of which marks the chest instead of a necklace, and a crown made of a graceful series of tiered triangles surmounted by a finial of 'stūpa' form. The inscription records the dedication by three persons of an image of the earlier Buddha Sikhi for a monastery and expresses the wish that they may be born, grow old and gain merit together in all their future lives until they have attained 'nirvāṇa'. The date corresponds to 1540 or 1541.

The collector of this object was Carl Bock, a Norwegian naturalist who visited Siam and areas to the north of it from June or July 1881 until August 1882. His account of his travels was published in London in 1884 as Temples and Elephants: The Narrative of a Journey of Exploration Through Upper Siam and Lao (Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington). Bock spent time in what is now central Thailand, including in Bangkok, the capital of Siam, and the towns of Paknam, Ayutthaya, Petchaburi, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Kamphaeng Phet and Tak (Raheng). He also travelled in today's northern Thailand, visiting places along the Ping and Kok rivers including Lampang, Lamphun, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Saen and Fang. In Bock's book, he used the term "Lao" to refer to northern Thailand. This use of "Lao" differs from the contemporary understanding of "Lao." In the late 19th century, Thailand, or Siam as it was then known, did not have the national borders which it has today. The so-called "Lao" area visited by Bock along the Ping and Kok rivers was the kingdom of Lanna, then a tributary of the kingdom of Siam. The Siamese in Bangkok referred to the land and people of Lanna as Lao even though the people of Lanna did not regard themselves as Lao. The dominant group in Lanna was the Tai Yuan. There were also various Shan, Karen and mountain peoples as well as Burmese and Chinese. The Siamese and Lanna languages were not mutually comprehensible. The Siamese government at Bangkok began to extend greater administrative control over Lanna beginning in about 1870, and Lanna was not fully absorbed into Siam until the turn of the century. Although Bock's publication as well as the British Museum records of the late 19th century refer to many of Bock's items as Lao, they are unlikely to signify the Lao people and country as understood today. The items he describes as "Lao" are most likely to be from the Tai Yuan culture. Some also came from other groups living in the areas visited by Bock such as Shan, Karen and Lahu. Items from the Bock collection include those produced by these groups as well as by the Siamese (Thai).

Acquisition notes

Carl Bock, who collected this statue, apparently obtained it in Muang Fang in today's northern Thailand. He visited Fang in 1882 and spent time there digging for Buddha images in ruined stupas. This statue was one of two inscription-bearing images he discovered and removed. See Bock's travel account, Temples and Elephants (Bangkok: White Orchid Press, 1985) (Orig. publ. 1884), pp. 277-81.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Figure of Buddha, crowned and ornamented; making the earth-touching gesture (bhumisparsa-mudra) and seated on a large round lotus-flower base above a tiered hexagonal pedestal with three inscribed faces. The Buddha's ornaments consist of armlets, bracelets, pearled bands and four-petalled flowers, one of which marks the chest instead of a necklace, and a crown made of a series of tiered triangles surmounted by a finial of 'stūpa' form.