Elephant Tusk with the Life of the Buddha

CHINA; Qing dynasty

This carving was created from a single elephant tusk. It shows the life of Sakyamuni Buddha, from his birth to his Parinirvana. The Buddha’s life is divided into 21 stories in several sections, separated by two curling dragons. Each section contains a few stories, which are bordered by bead and inverted lotus petal decorations. The story is carved in serial form along the natural shape and arc of the tusk.
One of the stories depicts the Birth of Prince Siddhartha. Queen Maya raises her left hand to hold the asoka tree and places her right hand on her sister, Mahaprajapati, with several attendants around her. Heavenly beings join palms to praise the birth of Prince Siddhartha behind the tree.