Longmen Grotto 1443: Niche

CHINA, Henan, Luoyang; Northern Wei dynasty

This niche, located on the upper right section of the north wall, was commissioned by Yuan Xiang, the Prince of Beihai. The lintel displays 15 apsaras with stoles that trail upward in flight. They hold long decorative ribbons. The niche houses Maitreya Buddha and two attendant Bodhisattvas. Maitreya’s head is damaged. A petal-shaped necklace adorns the bare upper body, while a stole hangs from the shoulders and crosses before the abdomen. Wearing a loose dhoti with undulated folds, Maitreya’s left hand rests on a knee, while the right is raised before the chest. Maitreya’s nimbus has a lotus motif in the center and seven Buddha images on the outer ring. At the top, a crescent with vine-like patterns on each side displays a Buddha in meditation.
The two attendant Bodhisattvas have high topknots and wear headdresses. They wear long dhotis with numerous folds, peach-shaped necklaces, and stoles which cross at the abdomen. The Bodhisattvas stand with palms joined in reverence. Flame-patterned nimbuses are depicted behind the figures. The stele inscription beside the niche is one of the Twenty Outstanding Inscriptions of the Longmen Grottoes.