COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
CMA_.1950.86
amicoid
CMA_.1950.86
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; Japanese
crc
Asian; Far East Asian; Japanese
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Dates/Places:
Japan
cdt
Japan
Creator Dates/Places
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Japan, Asuka Period
crt
Japan, Asuka Period
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Buddha of the Future (Maitreya)
otn
Buddha of the Future (Maitreya)
Title
false
Title Type:
Primary
ott
Primary
Title Type
false
View:
Full View
rid
Full View
View
false
Creation Date:
late 7th Century
oct
late 7th Century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
666
ocs
666
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
699
oce
699
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
cast bronze, incised, with traces of gilding
omd
cast bronze, incised, with traces of gilding
Materials and Techniques
false
Dimensions:
Overall: 39.4cm
met
Overall: 39.4cm
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:
1950.86
ooa
1950.86
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
John L. Severance Fund
ooc
John L. Severance 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:
Among the most popular devotional images of early Buddhist Japan are those portraying a seated figure, right leg crossed on top of the knee of the suspended left leg and right hand elevated to touch the chin. The left hand rests quietly on top of the ankle of the crossed right leg, adding balance to the whole statue. Represented is the Future Buddha, Maitreya (Miroku in Japanese), the deity thought by devout believers to appear at the end of the world to offer salvation. This idea predicting the fiery death of the planet was in fact preached widely in early Japan, and an actual date in the mid-eleventh century was identified with the event. One response to this ominous forecast was the production of Miroku statues, both as large central icons and as small devotional images. Many of the latter were buried along with sacred religious texts and other ritual objects in anticipation of future generations' use of them with Miroku's arrival. The cult of worship to Miroku was vigorous among the Buddhist clergy and the close-knit aristocratic families who were the new religion's staunchest supporters. Buddhism in Japan was still in its infancy, although under the reign of Empress Suiko (593 ? 628) and her regent, Prince Shotoku (574 ? 622), its practice flourished. Prince Shotoku supported the new religion as he strove to consolidate the power of an imperial lineage within his family lineage, in the face of challenges from competing clans. By maintaining active relations with China, and especially with Korea, Empress Suiko and Prince Shotoku were able to develop, and then initiate, sweeping changes in government organization and society. Shotoku is reverentially acknowledged in Japanese history as the principal protector and promoter of Buddhism, elevating it tothe status of a state religion and personally directing the founding of the country's oldest Buddhist temples south of present-day Nara. The building of these structures and the adornment of their interiors required the skills of immigrant Koreans adept at woodworking, tile making, and metalwork? particularly bronze casting. Bronze images of the Buddha of the Future in meditation are numerous in sixth- and seventh-century Korean art when the deity's following was especially strong. Serving as models for the gilt-bronze icons subsequently made in Japan, oftentimes by Korean artisans, these sculptures gradually took on more decidedly Japanese features. That is the case with this large seated figure. In comparison to Korean prototypes, its torso is more stocky, the face and facial features broader, and the details of robing and jewelry less pronounced. M.R.C.
cxd
Among the most popular devotional images of early Buddhist Japan are those portraying a seated figure, right leg crossed on top of the knee of the suspended left leg and right hand elevated to touch the chin. The left hand rests quietly on top of the ankle of the crossed right leg, adding balance to the whole statue. Represented is the Future Buddha, Maitreya (Miroku in Japanese), the deity thought by devout believers to appear at the end of the world to offer salvation. This idea predicting the fiery death of the planet was in fact preached widely in early Japan, and an actual date in the mid-eleventh century was identified with the event. One response to this ominous forecast was the production of Miroku statues, both as large central icons and as small devotional images. Many of the latter were buried along with sacred religious texts and other ritual objects in anticipation of future generations' use of them with Miroku's arrival. The cult of worship to Miroku was vigorous among the Buddhist clergy and the close-knit aristocratic families who were the new religion's staunchest supporters. Buddhism in Japan was still in its infancy, although under the reign of Empress Suiko (593 ? 628) and her regent, Prince Shotoku (574 ? 622), its practice flourished. Prince Shotoku supported the new religion as he strove to consolidate the power of an imperial lineage within his family lineage, in the face of challenges from competing clans. By maintaining active relations with China, and especially with Korea, Empress Suiko and Prince Shotoku were able to develop, and then initiate, sweeping changes in government organization and society. Shotoku is reverentially acknowledged in Japanese history as the principal protector and promoter of Buddhism, elevating it tothe status of a state religion and personally directing the founding of the country's oldest Buddhist temples south of present-day Nara. The building of these structures and the adornment of their interiors required the skills of immigrant Koreans adept at woodworking, tile making, and metalwork? particularly bronze casting. Bronze images of the Buddha of the Future in meditation are numerous in sixth- and seventh-century Korean art when the deity's following was especially strong. Serving as models for the gilt-bronze icons subsequently made in Japan, oftentimes by Korean artisans, these sculptures gradually took on more decidedly Japanese features. That is the case with this large seated figure. In comparison to Korean prototypes, its torso is more stocky, the face and facial features broader, and the details of robing and jewelry less pronounced. M.R.C.
Context
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
CMA_.1950.86.tif
ril
CMA_.1950.86.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false