Bodhisattva in Contemplation
Gilt bronze
Bodhisattva in Contemplation (side)
Bodhisattva in Contemplation (side)
Bodhisattva in Contemplation
KOREA; Three Kingdoms Period
Statues in this pose can be traced to the Mogao Caves whose artwork dates to around the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534). The image of the contemplative Prince Siddhartha was combined with the popular belief of Maitreya during the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei (534–550), and Northern Qi (550–577) dynasties, and so the image of the contemplative Maitreya started to spread. This statue was listed as National Treasure No. 78 in 1962.
Maitreya sits in the relaxation posture on a high bench overspread with a cloth. The figure wears a decorated floral crown with hanging side straps and the hair is in braids that drape down the back. A shawl is wrapped about the shoulders while a stole trails over one arm to the long skirt beneath. A lotus flower supports the pendent leg.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 172.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F},
pages = 172,
title = {{Bodhisattva in Contemplation}},
volume = 10,
year = {2016}}