Hongfo Pagoda: Heads of the Buddha

CHINA, Ningxia, Yinchuan; Western Xia period

These heads were excavated from the heavenly palace of Hongfo Pagoda in 1990. They are very similar in appearance and can be distinguished from one another mainly by the way the glaze from the eyes has run down the cheeks.
Both heads have snail-shell curls and a small crest gem set into the usnisa. The hollow left by a jeweled urna is present between the crescent eyebrows, while the eyes are half shut beneath deep lids. Glaze is also used to delineate other features, such as the mustache over the full mouth and a vestigial beard represented by a small cluster of symbols depicting the sun, moon, and clouds. The facial features are reminiscent of other artworks from the Tang dynasty (618–907).