Pair of Seated Buddhas

CHINA; Sui dynasty

The theme of two Buddhas sitting side by side is derived from the Lotus Sutra and became popular during the centuries spanning from the early Northern Wei dynasty (386–534) to the Sui dynasty (581–618).
The Buddhas share a single bench supported by a stand with four curved legs. Their right hands are raised in abhaya (fearlessness) mudra, while the left hands are lowered in varada (wish-granting) mudra. They sit cross-legged and wear monastic robes that open at the front and fall over the legs and bench in voluminous folds. The Buddhas have individual mandorlas slanting away from each other that are filled with stylized flames enclosing a simple aureole and radiating nimbuses. A similarly flame-decorated ogee arch unites the mandorlas and acts as the lintel of an imaginary niche. An inscription on the stand states that the statue was dedicated in 587 by Yi Guisheng for his deceased parents.