Maitreya Buddha

INDIA

The Buddha’s eyes are slightly closed beneath the arched eyebrows. Seated on the lion throne, with feet supported on a footstool, the figure’s hands join to form what looks like the Dharmacakra (Dharma wheel) mudra. The monastic robe worn by the Buddha covers only the left shoulder, with folds distinctly delineated about the arm and upper body and then limited to the ruffled hem below, leaving the legs clearly outlined. The open aureole and nimbus have a beaded double rim. The latter has a flaming surround overlapping the similarly patterned mandorla in a style typical of Kashmiri statues. Therefore, some scholars believe it may have originated from the Kashmir region. The tip of the nimbus is broken, but traces of what look like tassels lead experts to believe that they hang down from a stupa, one of Maitreya’s attributes, originally positioned above.