Longmen Grotto 140: Emperor and Empress Paying Respect to the Buddha

CHINA, Henan, Luoyang; Northern Wei dynasty

These two bas-reliefs were originally on the left and right sides of the entrance on the front (east) wall. The figures represent Emperor Xiaowen (reigned 471–499) and Empress Wenzhao of the Northern Wei dynasty. Once situated on the left side of the entrance, the relief of the emperor is now kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. The emperor is portrayed with a high crown and clad in a loose robe, followed by attendants in procession. The officials and attendants wear loose robes, tall headdresses, and carry parasols, feathered fans, long swords, or incense burners.
The matching bas-relief of the empress, once located on the right side of the entrance, is now part of the collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, USA. The empress walks in the center of a retinue, wearing a crown shaped like a lotus, and is draped in a loose gown. She holds an incense burner and gracefully advances, surrounded by noble women and attendants. They hold lotuses, feathered fans, incense burners, and a variety of other objects.
The two reliefs are very similar in composition. The figures, slender in build, lean slightly forward to suggest momentum.