COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
ASIA.1979.115
amicoid
ASIA.1979.115
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
1998
aly
1998
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Sculpture
oty
Sculpture
Object Type
false
Creator Nationality:
Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese
crc
Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Chinese
crt
Chinese
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Head of a Bodhisattva, Perhaps Mahasthamaprapta
otn
Head of a Bodhisattva, Perhaps Mahasthamaprapta
Title
false
View:
Full view
rid
Full view
View
false
Creation Date:
Tang period, early 8th century
oct
Tang period, early 8th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
700
ocs
700
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
733
oce
733
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Limestone with traces of pigment
omd
Limestone with traces of pigment
Materials and Techniques
false
Creation Place:
North China
ocp
North China
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 13 in. (33 cm)
met
H. 13 in. (33 cm)
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
Asia Society
oon
Asia Society
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York, USA
oop
New York, New York, USA
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1979.115
ooa
1979.115
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
ooc
Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
Credit Line
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.asiasociety.org"target="_new">http://www.asiasociety.org</a>
Rights
false
Context:
The style and iconography of Chinese Buddhist art, particularly from the 5th through 8th centuries, provides a visual record of the many ways in which the beliefs, customs, and aesthetics of India and China were accommodated to each other to form a distinctive, sinicized tradition of Buddhist thought and art. The full cheeks and plump features of this 8th-century head of a bodhisattva illustrates one of the most important and enduring styles of Buddhist imagery to develop in China. The flaming jewel (chintamani) in the bodhisattva's headdress suggests that this head came from a sculpture of Mahasthamaprapta. This bodhisattva is rarely depicted alone, and it is likely that this head was once part of a triad representing Amitabha Buddha with two attendant bodhisattvas, Mahasthamaprapta and Avalokiteshvara. Carved in the 8th century at the height of the Tang dynasty, sculptures of this style are distinguished by the softness and plumpness of the cheeks, arms, stomach, and other parts of the body. They differ noticeably from earlier works, which were influenced to a certain extent by Indian aesthetics and so emphasize the idealized lines of the bones of the body rather than its flesh.
During the Tang dynasty, China was a major world power, and in addition to trading ceramics and luxury goods to many parts of Asia, it was the source of Buddhism for Korea and Japan, where 8th-century Chinese Buddhist art had a profound influence. As a result, sculptures in the style seen in this charming head were produced throughout Korea and Japan.
cxd
The style and iconography of Chinese Buddhist art, particularly from the 5th through 8th centuries, provides a visual record of the many ways in which the beliefs, customs, and aesthetics of India and China were accommodated to each other to form a distinctive, sinicized tradition of Buddhist thought and art. The full cheeks and plump features of this 8th-century head of a bodhisattva illustrates one of the most important and enduring styles of Buddhist imagery to develop in China. The flaming jewel (<I>chintamani</I>) in the bodhisattva's headdress suggests that this head came from a sculpture of Mahasthamaprapta. This bodhisattva is rarely depicted alone, and it is likely that this head was once part of a triad representing Amitabha Buddha with two attendant bodhisattvas, Mahasthamaprapta and Avalokiteshvara. Carved in the 8th century at the height of the Tang dynasty, sculptures of this style are distinguished by the softness and plumpness of the cheeks, arms, stomach, and other parts of the body. They differ noticeably from earlier works, which were influenced to a certain extent by Indian aesthetics and so emphasize the idealized lines of the bones of the body rather than its flesh.<P>During the Tang dynasty, China was a major world power, and in addition to trading ceramics and luxury goods to many parts of Asia, it was the source of Buddhism for Korea and Japan, where 8th-century Chinese Buddhist art had a profound influence. As a result, sculptures in the style seen in this charming head were produced throughout Korea and Japan.</P>
Context
false
Related Document Description:
Asia Society. Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 55.
rdd
Asia Society. <I>Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection.</I> New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 55.
Related Document Description
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
ASIA.1979.115.a.tif
ril
ASIA.1979.115.a.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false