Tianlongshan Cave 18: Head of a Buddha

CHINA, Shanxi, Taiyuan; Tang dynasty

This carved head was originally part of the main Buddha statue on the east wall of Cave 18 and is a representative work of the High Tang period (712–756). At the site, the Buddha and two Bodhisattvas sit on Sumeru thrones with nimbuses behind them, while the Buddha is surrounded by an aureole. The Buddha sits in full lotus position with a monastic robe across the left shoulder. The arms and lower legs are damaged, and the missing head is now preserved in the Nezu Museum, Tokyo.
A high usnisa is depicted with the hair engraved in whorled and wavy patterns. The face is round, and the long, thin eyes are half-closed. Arc-shaped eyebrows connect to the bridge of the nose. The lips are small, but full, while the ears are elongated. The philtrum and corners of the lips are engraved more deeply. The facial features are all distinctively sculpted.