COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
ASIA.1979.049
amicoid
ASIA.1979.049
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; Nepalese
crc
Asian; Indian Sub-Continent; Nepalese
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Nepalese
crt
Nepalese
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Bodhisattva
otn
Bodhisattva
Title
false
View:
Full view
rid
Full view
View
false
Creation Date:
Early Malla period, 13th century
oct
Early Malla period, 13th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
1200
ocs
1200
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
1299
oce
1299
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Gilt copper with inlays of semiprecious stone
omd
Gilt copper with inlays of semiprecious stone
Materials and Techniques
false
Classification Term:
Bronzes
clt
Bronzes
Classification Term
false
Creation Place:
Nepal
ocp
Nepal
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 18 3/4 in. (47.6 cm)
met
H. 18 3/4 in. (47.6 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:
1979.049
ooa
1979.049
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:
Historically, Nepal consisted of a much smaller region than the modern nation, which was formed during the 18th century, encompasses today. It included only the section known as the Kathmandu Valley and a few outlying areas. Nepali art was created by artists of Newari descent working within this limited geographic area, and for this reason exhibits a certain conservatism and consistency. Yet because of Nepal's critical location--linking north and east India with other nations of the Himalayas and Tibet--there are also mutual influences between Nepali art and that of other styles found throughout the Himalayan region.
The combination of a relaxed and somewhat playful pose--seen, for example, in the whimsical upturn of the toes--and elaborate jewelry date this sculpture of a seated bodhisattva to the 13th century. It may represent Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, although there is no seated Amitabha Buddha in his headdress, a typical attribute of this deity. However, the antelope skin (complete with head) wrapped around the bodhisattva's left forearm is sometimes cited as an attribute of Avalokiteshvara. The bodhisattva's left hand is in the gesture of teaching (vitarkamudra, commonly found in images of Avalokiteshvara when he is shown in conjunction with those of Amitabha. In this case, however, the seated posture would suggest that this sculpture represents Avalokiteshvara in the Pure Land of Sukhavati rather than as a guide for souls.
cxd
Historically, Nepal consisted of a much smaller region than the modern nation, which was formed during the 18th century, encompasses today. It included only the section known as the Kathmandu Valley and a few outlying areas. Nepali art was created by artists of Newari descent working within this limited geographic area, and for this reason exhibits a certain conservatism and consistency. Yet because of Nepal's critical location--linking north and east India with other nations of the Himalayas and Tibet--there are also mutual influences between Nepali art and that of other styles found throughout the Himalayan region.<P>The combination of a relaxed and somewhat playful pose--seen, for example, in the whimsical upturn of the toes--and elaborate jewelry date this sculpture of a seated bodhisattva to the 13th century. It may represent Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, although there is no seated Amitabha Buddha in his headdress, a typical attribute of this deity. However, the antelope skin (complete with head) wrapped around the bodhisattva's left forearm is sometimes cited as an attribute of Avalokiteshvara. The bodhisattva's left hand is in the gesture of teaching (<I>vitarkamudra</I>, commonly found in images of Avalokiteshvara when he is shown in conjunction with those of Amitabha. In this case, however, the seated posture would suggest that this sculpture represents Avalokiteshvara in the Pure Land of Sukhavati rather than as a guide for souls.</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. 25.
rdd
Asia Society. <I>Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection.</I> New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 25.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Huntingon, John C. 'Three Essays on Himalayan Metal Images.' Apollo (November 1983), pp. 422-25.
rdd
Huntingon, John C. 'Three Essays on Himalayan Metal Images.' <I>Apollo</I> (November 1983), pp. 422-25.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Pal, Pratapaditya. Nepal: Where the Gods Are Young. New York: Asia Society in association with John Weatherhill, 1975, pp. 40, 76.
rdd
Pal, Pratapaditya. <I>Nepal: Where the Gods Are Young</I>. New York: Asia Society in association with John Weatherhill, 1975, pp. 40, 76.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Schroeder, Ulrich von. Indo-Tibetan Bronzes. Hong Kong: Visual Dharma, 1981, p. 346.
rdd
Schroeder, Ulrich von. <I>Indo-Tibetan Bronzes</I>. Hong Kong: Visual Dharma, 1981, p. 346.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Treasures of Asian Art: Selections from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, The Asia Society, New York. Tokyo: Idemitsu Museum of Arts, 1992, pp. 52, 124.
rdd
<I>Treasures of Asian Art: Selections from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, The Asia Society, New York.</I> Tokyo: Idemitsu Museum of Arts, 1992, pp. 52, 124.
Related Document Description
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
ASIA.1979.049.a.tif
ril
ASIA.1979.049.a.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false