COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
CMA_.1970.10
amicoid
CMA_.1970.10
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
1998
aly
1998
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Sculpture
oty
Sculpture
Object Type
false
Creator Nationality:
Asian; Indian Sub-Continent; Indian
crc
Asian; Indian Sub-Continent; Indian
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Dates/Places:
India
cdt
India
Creator Dates/Places
false
Creator Name-CRT:
India, Kurkihar, Bihar, Pala period, 9th century
crt
India, Kurkihar, Bihar, Pala period, 9th century
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Ashobhya: The Buddha of the East
otn
Ashobhya: The Buddha of the East
Title
false
Title Type:
Primary
ott
Primary
Title Type
false
View:
Full View
rid
Full View
View
false
Creation Date:
9th century
oct
9th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
800
ocs
800
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
899
oce
899
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
bronzewith silver and copper overlay
omd
bronzewith silver and copper overlay
Materials and Techniques
false
Dimensions:
Overall: 38.75cm x 26.25cm
met
Overall: 38.75cm x 26.25cm
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
The Cleveland Museum of Art
oon
The Cleveland Museum of Art
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
oop
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1970.10
ooa
1970.10
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
ooc
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Credit Line
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html"target="_new">http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html</a>
Rights
false
Context:
This image of a seated buddha could be considered a bronze equivalent of the stone stele of Shakyamuni triumphing over Mara (see 1935.146). It represents Akshobhya, who presides over the Eastern Paradise. He is one of the five Dhyani (Meditative Buddhas) identifiable by his vajra (a scepter in the form of a thunderbolt) in front of him. His position, hand gestures, and a double-lotus throne supported by lions are all closely related to the stone stele, except that the image here is cast in bronze. Metalsculpture was very popular in Eastern India, which is known for its rich ore deposits. Because it is easily portable and because the technique allows great fluidity in execution, bronze sculpture is popular in Pala domains. The lost wax technique--where an image is fashioned in wax over a core, encapsuled in a clay mold, the wax then melted and replaced by molten metal-- allows great refinement in execution and richness of detail. Frequently metal inlay is used, as in this case, where the urna (a whorl between the eyebrows) and eyes are made in silver while the lips are in copper. Pala bronzes consist of alloys of different metals, usually eight (according to ancient manuals), with copper dominating. The bronzes were usually gilded, though the gilding isnow frequently gone. Except for small pieces they are hollow cast. The two most important sites for production of metal images in the Pala kingdom were Nalanda and Kurkihar, represented by the present bronze. Nalanda images are earlier (early to mid-ninth century), and are usually smaller and closer to the Gupta style, while later Kurkihar bronzes (late ninth to tenth century) are larger in size and much more elaborate. The figures are usually placed on richly decorated thrones. The stylization of the image--long arms, broad shoulders, tapered torso, beak-like nose--are the features of developed Pala style, which left its mark on the Buddhist sculpture outside India. The Thai Sukhodaya style is a good example of this influence. Aside from the highly accomplished formal appearance of Pala images, they successfully convey a spiritual message. Great compassion and serenity radiate from this image, features that are encountered only in the finest religious icons of any given culture. S.C.
cxd
This image of a seated buddha could be considered a bronze equivalent of the stone stele of Shakyamuni triumphing over Mara (see 1935.146). It represents Akshobhya, who presides over the Eastern Paradise. He is one of the five Dhyani (Meditative Buddhas) identifiable by his vajra (a scepter in the form of a thunderbolt) in front of him. His position, hand gestures, and a double-lotus throne supported by lions are all closely related to the stone stele, except that the image here is cast in bronze. Metalsculpture was very popular in Eastern India, which is known for its rich ore deposits. Because it is easily portable and because the technique allows great fluidity in execution, bronze sculpture is popular in Pala domains. The lost wax technique--where an image is fashioned in wax over a core, encapsuled in a clay mold, the wax then melted and replaced by molten metal-- allows great refinement in execution and richness of detail. Frequently metal inlay is used, as in this case, where the urna (a whorl between the eyebrows) and eyes are made in silver while the lips are in copper. Pala bronzes consist of alloys of different metals, usually eight (according to ancient manuals), with copper dominating. The bronzes were usually gilded, though the gilding isnow frequently gone. Except for small pieces they are hollow cast. The two most important sites for production of metal images in the Pala kingdom were Nalanda and Kurkihar, represented by the present bronze. Nalanda images are earlier (early to mid-ninth century), and are usually smaller and closer to the Gupta style, while later Kurkihar bronzes (late ninth to tenth century) are larger in size and much more elaborate. The figures are usually placed on richly decorated thrones. The stylization of the image--long arms, broad shoulders, tapered torso, beak-like nose--are the features of developed Pala style, which left its mark on the Buddhist sculpture outside India. The Thai Sukhodaya style is a good example of this influence. Aside from the highly accomplished formal appearance of Pala images, they successfully convey a spiritual message. Great compassion and serenity radiate from this image, features that are encountered only in the finest religious icons of any given culture. S.C.
Context
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
CMA_.1970.10.tif
ril
CMA_.1970.10.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false