Sakyamuni Buddha Triad

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

The triad of Sakyamuni Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva was a common combination in Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasty artworks. In this set of three paintings, each measuring 114.2 cm high and 51.5 cm wide, each figure has a nimbus and wears an ornate monastic robe. The central figure, Sakyamuni Buddha, has a low usnisa, a broad forehead, and a round face. The right hand forms a mudra while the left hand rests on the knee. The Buddha sits in full lotus position on a hexagonal Sumeru throne. Manjusri Bodhisattva, on the right, wears a headdress and ornaments, and holds a ruyi (wish-fulfilling talisman) with both hands. The Bodhisattva sits on a lotus throne on the back of a fierce lion. A lion keeper stands in the bottom right corner. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, in the left panel, holds a sutra in hand and sits on a throne supported by an elephant. The thrones of both Bodhisattvas are uniquely depicted with swirling clouds beneath them.