Maitreya Buddha

CHINA; Northern Wei dynasty

The slimly-built figure is crowned with curled hair that forms a usnisa. The Buddha wears a loose outer robe covering an inner robe tied with a wide girdle. The robes fall to the feet in overlapping layers. The right hand is most likely raised in abhaya (fearlessness) mudra while the left hand opens in varada (wish-granting) mudra. The rim of the surrounding lotus petal mandorla is engraved with red flames, which contrast with the green foliage and white flowers carved within. It also encloses a circular nimbus with a floral pattern behind the Buddha’s head.
An inscription on the back dates the sculpture to 516 and identifies the donors, Zhang Lingbin and his brother, as natives of Dingzhou in present-day Hebei.