Life of the Buddha - Great Departure

MYANMAR

This illustration is part of an album of paintings brought from Burma to England by Henry Burney in 1837. The album contains 52 folds, each measuring 50.5 cm in height and 19.5 cm in width. The Great Departure is one of the most exquisite illustrations of the Life of the Buddha in Myanmar. It is depicted on four contiguous pages. In the lower right corner, the seated Prince Siddhartha and his entourage receive the news that Princess Yasodhara has given birth to his son, Rahula. On the left, Siddhartha is shown becoming aware of life’s suffering. He sits in a golden chariot and points towards a monk, an elderly person, a sick man, and a corpse. These four sights make the prince aware of the sufferings that await all beings and convince him of the need to seek enlightenment. Within a golden pavilion on the left side of the middle register, Siddhartha, in a seated position, gives a woman his pearl necklace, which symbolizes his renunciation of worldly life. Immediately to the right, the prince stands by a bed within a palace and bids farewell to his sleeping wife and son. The charioteer, Chandaka, and the prince’s horse, Kanthaka, wait outside the palace. In the top right corner, Siddhartha leaves the palace on horseback. Chandaka holds the horse’s tail, indicating his reluctance to let the prince go. Directly below them, several heavenly beings carry lanterns to brighten the prince’s path. Flowers rain from the sky in praise of his determination to attain enlightenment. Mara, with one hand in the air and the other holding a sword, stands on the far right and attempts to obstruct Siddhartha. This outstanding 19th century Burmese artwork is luxuriantly colored and intricately composed of finely detailed figures.