Mogao Cave 17: Bodhisattva Making an Offering

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

This late 9th century banner is decorated with an image of a Bodhisattva standing on a lotus pedestal, and holding a bowl. The Bodhisattva has a thin mustache, a short nose, and a small mouth. Long black hair hangs down behind the shoulders. The headdress is decorated with lotuses and hanging tassels. Ornaments and jewelry adorn the body. The robe and stoles are painted with natural, flowing lines and are accented with a pale wash of color, making them appear transparent and thin. The light blue nimbus and the leaves of the lotus pedestal are colored in a similar manner. The precious glass bowl held in the raised right hand of the Bodhisattva could have been modeled after similar objects that passed along the Silk Road trading route.