Maitreya Buddha Triad Niche
Stone
Maitreya Buddha Triad Niche
CHINA; Northern Qi dynasty
Maitreya is seated in full lotus position on a Sumeru-shaped lotus throne with the right hand raised in abhaya (fearlessness) mudra. The figure wears a robe that covers both shoulders and emerges swirling below the legs, which is unique. Attendant Bodhisattvas standing in symmetrical postures and holding a jewel on either side of the central figure. The Bodhisattvas are enclosed in shallow niches with columns on either side, while the Buddha occupies a deep niche that has an ogee lintel decorated with garuda-like motifs.
There are inscriptions on both the top and bottom of the sculpture. Those at the bottom dates the work from 557 and names Huang Haibo and his wife as the patrons. Chisel marks on the sides and back suggest that it was removed from a wall within a temple.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M, page 676.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M},
pages = 676,
title = {{Maitreya Buddha Triad Niche}},
volume = 11,
year = {2016}}