Mogao Cave 17: Buddha Triad

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

Dressed in a red monastic robe, the Buddha sits in full lotus position on a lotus throne in the center of the picture. The right hand is held up, forming the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra. Flame patterns decorate the top of the aureole and the nimbus. Two Bodhisattvas stand on lotus pedestals beside the Buddha. They have long black hair, round faces, and narrow shoulders. Each Bodhisattva wears a golden headdress, a shawl, stoles, and a dhoti. One has an orange nimbus and joins palms, while the other has a blue nimbus and forms a mudra with each hand. Below the Bodhisattvas, a male and a female figure kneel on plain mats, both joining their palms in reverence.