Buddhist and Hindu Sculptures

Collection of ancient sculptures depicting Buddhist and Hindu deities, showcasing various artistic styles from Korea, China, India, and Cambodia.

Standing Buddha 9th century Korea. Standing Buddha. Korea. 9th century. Bronze. Unified Silla dynasty (676-935). Sculpture

Standing Buddha 9th century Korea. Standing Buddha. Korea. 9th century. Bronze. Unified Silla dynasty (676-935). Sculpture

Attendant Bodhisattva. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 45 1/2 in. (115.6 cm). Date: 10th-11th century.The figure's posture suggests that this sculpture represents a bodhisattva who served as an attendant to a Buddha or some other transcendent figure. It was most likely part of a larger group of figures depicting various members of the Buddhist pantheon. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Standing Buddha Offering Protection late 5th century India (Uttar Pradesh, Mathura) This Buddha image embodies the qualities of radiant inner calm and stillness, the products of supreme wisdom. The figure once raised his right hand (now missing) in the characteristic abhaya-mudra, a gesture dispelling fear and imparting reassurance. The Buddha is robed in the simple, uncut cloth of a monk, and his religiosity is further conveyed by a large halo and auspicious markings (lakshanas), both natural and supernatural, denoting Buddhahood (the state of perfect enlightenment), As the summation of stylistic development in a period of Buddhist expansion, this representation became the benchmark for the Buddha image throughout Asia. Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #959. Kids: Buddha Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. We are working to make it available as soon as possible.. Sta

Standing Shiva () 11th century Cambodia (Angkor, Siem Reap Province) This figure is the most intact metal image surviving from Angkor. It belongs to a small group of metal sculptures of Hindu deities associated with royal cult practices that was discovered in Khmer territories in Cambodia and northeastern Thailand. Although it defies ready identification — the gesturing hands neither conform to a standard iconographic mudra nor hold key attributes — the figure may portray Shiva in anthropomorphic form, an unusual representation in Khmer art. It is possible that the sculpture served a dual purpose, representing primarily a cult icon for worship in a royal sanctuary and also acting as an ancestor image of a deceased ruler. Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #8012. Standing Shiva Play or pause #962. Kids: Standing Shiva Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. We are working t

Standing Shiva from Mi Son, Cham art from the 8th century, Danang Museum, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Daoist Priest with Zodiac Animal, Boar China. Daoist Priest with Zodiac Animal, Boar. China. Stoneware. Song dynasty (960-1279). Tomb Pottery

Standing Bodisattva Maitreya (Buddha of the Future). Culture: Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara). Dimensions: H. 31 3/4 in. (80.7 cm); W. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm); D. 6 in. (15.2 cm). Date: ca. 3rd century.Maitreya is the Buddha of the next age, much as Shakyamuni is the Buddha of our age. He resides in Tushita heaven waiting for his final rebirth. As befits his highest rebirth, he wears the garments and jewels of a prince, though his halo clearly demarks his deified status. He can be identified by the sacred water flask in his left hand. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Standing Bodhisattva, 1200s. China, Jin dynasty (1115-1234). Wood with traces of polychromy and gold leaf; overall: 146.1 x 57.2 cm (57 1/2 x 22 1/2 in.).

Standing Padmapani Lokeshvara ca. second half of the 9th-first half of the 10th century Indonesia This statue is purported to have been found in Surat Thani Province in peninsular Thailand.. Standing Padmapani Lokeshvara 38960

Buddha with Hands in Gesture of Teaching, Vitarka Mudra, 600s. Thailand, Mon-Dvaravati Period, 7th Century. Bronze; overall: 21 cm (8 1/4 in.).

Attendant bodhisattva early 6th century China. Attendant bodhisattva 61734

StandingBodhisattva

Buddha protected by the Naga, Musee Guimet, Museum of Asian Arts. Paris, France, Europe

. Image of the Garuda Bird, Vishnu Ridingier. The bird is shown in human form, but with a bird ni. His hair is tied together with a snake. With his right hand he makes the gesture of respectful greeting (Abhaya-Mudra) and in his left he holds a basket.

Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara. Culture: Sri Lanka. Dimensions: H. (with pedestal): 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm); W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); D. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm). Date: ca. 8th century.Mahayana Buddhism once flourished in Sri Lanka, alongside Theravada Buddhism, as witnessed by this bejeweled bodhisattva. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Plaque: Titleholder with Calabash Rattle 16th-17th century Edo peoples At its origins, the centralized city-state of Benin was founded by Edo-speaking peoples. The accounts by official court historians and descriptions provided by visitors evoke a vibrant cultural center continually redefined by its leadership through shifting internal and external power dynamics. According to oral tradition, circa 1300, Edo chiefs are reputed to have reached out to the leader of neighboring Ife, Oranmiyan, to establish a new divinely sanctioned royal dynasty. Since then, the investiture of Benins rulers to the title of obas has conferred upon them at once a role of chief priest officiating in important religious ceremonies and presiding over an elaborate structure of palace officials. During the fifteenth century reign of Oba Ewuare, Benins armies were formed and the fortification of its capital with a massive wall undertaken. In parallel, delegations of Portuguese traders assiduously sought to secu

Buddha of Medicine (Bhasyajaguru) Korea 11th-12th century

Garuda, Mount of God Vishnu 701 CE-900 CE Java. Andesite .

Head of a Bodhisattva ca. 710 China This head once belonged to an attendant bodhisattva, which had been carved into the back wall of Cave 21 at Tianlongshan, a small complex consisting of twenty-four cave shrines and a wooden temple. Located about twenty-five miles southwest of Taiyuan, in Shanxi province, Tianlongshan opened in the mid-sixth century and was revived in the early eighth century. The history of the site is recorded on a large stone stele, erected in 706 by a General Xun and his wife, who were visiting the site at that time.. Head of a Bodhisattva 39640

Head of Buddha Shakyamuni, Anonymous, 700 - 800 Fragment (head) of Buddha Shakyamuni of gray limestone; Nose is missing. Dvaravati limestone Fragment (head) of Buddha Shakyamuni of gray limestone; Nose is missing. Dvaravati limestone

. Figurine of standing Buddha, forearms raised to hip height, fingers from right hand have been broken down, dress tightly after the body, without pleating. (Divine Bronze, no. 4)

Standing Buddha. Kushana, 2nd century AD. Gandhara

Garuda, anonymous, c. 1100 - c. 1200 Image of the Vogel Garuda, the Rijdier of Vishnu. The bird is shown in human form, but with a bird. His hair is tied together with a snake. With his right hand he makes the gesture of respectful greeting (Abhaya-Mudra) and in his left he holds a basket. Nepal copper (metal). gilding (material) hammering / gilding Image of the Vogel Garuda, the Rijdier of Vishnu. The bird is shown in human form, but with a bird. His hair is tied together with a snake. With his right hand he makes the gesture of respectful greeting (Abhaya-Mudra) and in his left he holds a basket. Nepal copper (metal). gilding (material) hammering / gilding

Monk; 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);

. These three figures of Guanyin clearly display the elegant style of the Tang dynasty. The influence of sculpture from India inspired more animated poses, which are further accentuated by elegant ribbons.

Buddha. Culture: Sri Lanka, Kandy district. Dimensions: H. (figure) 23 3/8 in. (59.4 cm); H. (incl. base) 25 9/16 in. (65 cm) W. 8 11/16 in. (22 cm). Date: 18th century.This work represents Kandyan-period Buddha imagery at its finest. The figure's physique is robust, and the full face lacks the softness of features found in lesser works of the period. Auspicious marks (lakshana) appear here, and the lowered left arm is a convention that persisted throughout the later Kandyan period. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Fragment of a Buddha image.Buddha Cup (Headdress Runs Less Striker Than With Mak 369).

Seated Crowned Buddha, 11th century, H.8-5/8 x W.5-1/16 x D.2-5/8 in., bronze, Cambodia, 11th century

God Vishnu's Mount, Garuda, Standing with Hands in Gesture of Adoration (Anjalimudra) 1001-1100 Kathmandu Valley. Schist .

Figure of Buddha, 13th-14th century, 11 1/2 x 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in. (29.21 x 9.84 x 6.35 cm), Bronze, Thailand, Khmer style, This figure with both hands raised represents the Buddha subduing Mara, the god of desire. In addition to the monastic dress, the image is adorned with several of the accoutrements of royalty. These include an elaborate diadem, long earrings that fall to the shoulders, a necklace and armlets. The Buddha stands on a lotus petal. The lotus flower is the Buddhist symbol for spiritual purity.

Devi Uma Parameshvari, Great Goddess Uma, 13th century, 27 3/4 x 11 x 9 3/8 in. (70.49 x 27.94 x 23.81 cm), Bronze, India, 13th century, Devotees of the Great Goddess understand her as a personification of supreme feminine power. In Tamil Nadu, her iconography is relatively consistent, although she might be called by different names depending on the form of Shiva she accompanies. Her right arm is positioned to hold a lotus or blue lily, her left hand rests gracefully at her side, and her sensuous figure is accentuated by the triple-bend stance. An image of Uma must be present at all temple ceremonies for Shiva, or else the ritual is incomplete.

A lohan. Lohans are followers of the Buddha who have achieved spiritual perfection. Their task is to safeguard Buddhist doctrine until the Buddha of the Future appears. They do not live among people but as hermits in the mountains. They also possess supernatural powers, such as the ability to change size and to see and hear everything. There are eighteen different lohans. This is Ajita. He concentrates fully on listening to the reading of a sutra, a scripture that conveys the Buddhas teachings.

Guanyin with Qilin; 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);

Standing Vishnu. Culture: India (Tamil Nadu). Dimensions: H. 33 3/4 in. (85.7 cm). Date: ca. third quarter of the 10th century.Vishnu the Preserver is most often portrayed holding the militant attributes that symbolize his protective role. Here he holds a chakra (war discus) in his upper right hand and a shankha (conch battle trumpet) in his upper left. His lower left hand makes the gesture of resting on a gada (mace), while his lower right hand is held in abhayamudra (the gesture that allays fear). The upright prongs at either side of the pedestal originally supported a halo. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Seated Musician China This amiable flute (chi) player is poised in anticipation of bringing the instrument to his lips. The chi was the predecessor of the two types of flute used in Chinese music todaythe end-blown, vertically held xiao and the transverse flute depicted here, which is now known as the dizi.. Seated Musician 73218

Buddha

Court lady 8th century China. Court lady 44619

Head of Shiva ca. 10th century Central Vietnam Sandstone architectural elements of this type are a regular feature of Hindu temples constructed by the Cham kingdoms of central and southern Vietnam. The temples are typically single-cell sanctuaries with a tapering tower above. They are built of fired brick with sandstone doorjambs, tympanums, and in a characteristically Cham innovation, antefixes such as this one projecting from the tower.. Head of Shiva. Central Vietnam. ca. 10th century. Sandstone. Chams kingdoms. Sculpture

Head of Bodhisattva, 700s. Japan, Nara period (710-94). Dry lacquer with traces of gilding; overall: 13.7 x 11.8 cm (5 3/8 x 4 5/8 in.).

Tara or a goddess. Tara or a goddess. Right hand in Abhaya-Mudra, the left hangs down and has broken down just above the elbow.

Standing Bodhisattva with Halo 9th century Indonesia (Java). Standing Bodhisattva with Halo 39033

Head of a bodhisattva ca. 565-75 China This head once belonged to a towering bodhisattva who presided over the entrance to the Central Cave at Northern Xiangtangshan. This site, which consists of only three cave temples with colossal figural sculptures, was once strategically located on the route between the capital at Ye and Jinyang, in Shanxi province. At the beginning of the Northern Qi period, it may have been a place for meditation or other Buddhist activities.. Head of a bodhisattva 42715

'Meditating Monk'. Siam (now Thailand). Lanna (), Lang Chang (), 18th - 19th century (). Dimensions: h. 34,8 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Seated Buddha (With Inscription on Base) 9th century Indonesia (Java). Seated Buddha (With Inscription on Base). Indonesia (Java). 9th century. Bronze. Sculpture

Buddha Shakyamuni Sheltered by the Serpent King Muchalinda. Thailand, late 13th century. Sculpture. Sandstone

A Bodhisattva, probably Guanyin China. A Bodhisattva, probably Guanyin. China. Mud, gilded and polychromed. early Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Sculpture

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara 1175-1225 Cambodia. Bronze .

Enthroned Virgin and Child ca. 1130-1140 French The simple patterning of the drapery lends elegance to this figure of the Virgin, while her slightly slumped shoulders, forward tilt, and placid gaze might suggest both fatigue and acceptance of her new role as the mother of Jesus. Traces of the medieval painted decoration are preserved. The Virgins proper right eye, made of blue glass, is original. The other eye is a recent replacement. This is one of only a few Romanesque sculptures in wood from Burgundy to survive. The patterning of the drapery and the heavy-lidded eyes relate this piece to the sculptures of the cathedral of Saint-Lazare at Autun, such as the Angel (47.101.16) exhibited in this gallery. Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #22. Enthroned Virgin and Child Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. We are working to make it available as soon as possible.. Enthron

Buddha Shakyamuni. Thailand, Lamphun Province (), 13th century. Sculpture. Terracotta

Figure of a sitting woman 12th-13th century China. Figure of a sitting woman 48847

Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara). China. Date: 1100-1200. Dimensions: 34 × 6.4 × 5.6 cm (13 3/8 × 2 1/2 × 2 1/4 in.). Gilt copper. Origin: China. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Bhikshatana, 12th century, 8 3/16 x 2 7/16 x 2 3/8 in. (20.8 x 6.19 x 6.03 cm), Bronze, Cambodia, 12th century, In one of his many forms, the Hindu god Shiva wanders through the forest disguised as an ascetic, wearing only a loincloth and holding a walking stick and rosary. This small icon probably was destined for a family altar, and demonstrates that both Hindu and Buddhist deities were worshipped in Cambodia, though Shiva's crown indicates the artist's incorporation of Khmer Buddhist iconography.

Jichimen Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion with Eleven Heads (Avalokiteshvara) mid- to late 14th century Japan Eleven-headed Kannon (Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara) is an important bodhisattva in the esoteric schools of Buddhism. Atop the deity’s own head are eleven additional heads. Ten of these take the form of bodhisattvas and represent the ten stages toward enlightenment. The topmost head is that of Amida (Sanskrit: Amitabha), the Buddha from whom Kannon emanates. The fluid, deeply carved drapery follows a thirteenth-century sculptural style developed in Nara by the Kei school of Buddhist sculptors. However, the more decorative treatment of the robe and the heavy, solemn face suggest a fourteenth-century date for this imposing figure. It was originally installed at Kuhonji, a small Shingon school temple located northwest of Kyoto.. Jichimen Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion with Eleven Heads (Avalokiteshvara). Japan. mid- to late 14th century. Wood with lacquer, gold leaf, and

Sleeping Vishnu, anonymous, c. 1100 - c. 1300 Excerpt (head) of a sleeping fishingnoe; The head is a bit slanted on the neck. Cambodia sandstone Excerpt (head) of a sleeping fishingnoe; The head is a bit slanted on the neck. Cambodia sandstone

Crowned Bodhisattva. Culture: North India (Uttar Pradesh, Mathura). Dimensions: H. 16 3/4 in. (42.5 cm); W. 13 in. (33 cm); D. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm). Date: 3rd-early 4th century.This youthful Buddhist savior, with curled lockets of hairs cascading to his shoulders, is amongst the most appealing images of this figure type from early India. He is broad shouldered with a slender waist, the archetypal Kushan physiognomy of the universal monarch (chakravartin) Buddha-type. This concept is carried through to the exceptional treatment of the head decoration, with its distinguished crown and the presiding parent Buddha. In keeping with works of the Kushan school at Mathura, the facial details are sharply carved, conveying a plasticity and a conventionalized naturalism to the face. The forehead mark (urna), textually described as a tuft of hair but typically represented as a raised dot, is an auspicious sign of nobility and accepted as one of the Buddha's lakshanas, denoting Buddhahood.The bodh

Monk. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 21 1/2 in. (54.6 cm); W. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm); D. 5 in. (12.7 cm). Date: late 6th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara of the Lion's Roar, or Simhanada Avalokiteshvara (Shi Hou Guanyin) 19th-20th century China. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara of the Lion's Roar, or Simhanada Avalokiteshvara (Shi Hou Guanyin). China. 19th-20th century. Wood (willow) with traces of pigment, single-woodblock construction. Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Sculpture

Crowned and Jewelled Bust of Buddha 14th-15th century Thailand. Crowned and Jewelled Bust of Buddha 39113

Standing Buddha 8th century Korea The gilt-bronze statue is a typical small icon made for private devotion in the Unified Silla kingdom and exemplifies a high point in the production of Buddhist sculpture in Korea. The Buddha's hand gesture (mudra) symbolizes the dispelling of fear and the granting of wishes.. Standing Buddha 51304

Buddha protected by Naga. 11th century style Baphuon (1050-1100) sandstone sculpture. Bayon (temple) Cambodia

'Figurine of a Standing Disciple of the Buddha (fragment)'. Siam (now Thailand). Ayutthaya art (), 17th - 18th century. Dimensions: h. 9 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Jungfrau und Kind Virgin and Child, polychrome wood carving and cuts, 12th century, church of La Malena, Huesca Diocesan Museum, Aragon community, Spain Copyright: xZoonar.com/Tolox 22307662

Head of the Buddha late 18th-19th century Thai. Head of the Buddha 460394

Staande Boeddha.Standing Buddha, crowned and richly decorated clothing; The hands and part of the arms, the top of the hairdresser, the underside of the dress and the feet have been demolished.

Plaque: Titleholder with Calabash Rattle 16th-17th century Edo peoples At its origins, the centralized city-state of Benin was founded by Edo-speaking peoples. The accounts by official court historians and descriptions provided by visitors evoke a vibrant cultural center continually redefined by its leadership through shifting internal and external power dynamics. According to oral tradition, circa 1300, Edo chiefs are reputed to have reached out to the leader of neighboring Ife, Oranmiyan, to establish a new divinely sanctioned royal dynasty. Since then, the investiture of Benins rulers to the title of obas has conferred upon them at once a role of chief priest officiating in important religious ceremonies and presiding over an elaborate structure of palace officials. During the fifteenth century reign of Oba Ewuare, Benins armies were formed and the fortification of its capital with a massive wall undertaken. In parallel, delegations of Portuguese traders assiduously sought to secu

Head of an attendant bodhisattva ca. 565-75 China Both the Eastern Wei (535-50) and the Northern Qi dynasties were ruled from a capital at Ye (presentday Linzhang) in southern Hebei province; both sponsored the construction of new cave temples. The complex built at Xiangtangshan (not far from the capital) dates from the Northern Qi period. It consists of two sites: the three enormous cave temples at the top of the mountain are known as Northern Xiangtangshan, while an additional seven smaller shrines, about nine miles to the south, are known as Southern Xiangtangshan. This head comes from the southern site, which was constructed slightly later.. Head of an attendant bodhisattva 42700

Durga Chola dynasty (850-1100 AD) granite sculpture from Tamil Nadu, India. In Hinduism, Durga the inaccessible or the invincible is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having ten arms, riding a lion or a tiger, carrying weapons and a lotus flower, maintaining a meditative smile, and practicing mudras, or symbolic hand gestures.

Standing Buddha ca. 3rd-4th century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara) Such Buddha images were found in great numbers in the public sacred precincts of Gandhara. The Buddhas right hand, now damaged, would have been held in abhaya mudra, a gesture of approachability. He wears the robes of a monk, but his urna (the dot on his forehead) and his extended earlobes denote his status as the Buddha. On the base of the sculpture is a seated figure of Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, who is being venerated by a man and woman who are likely the donors of this image.. Standing Buddha 38820

The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Pakistan, Gandhara region, circa 200. Sculpture. Gray schist

Adorant with an Offering Pot

Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); W. 2 in. (5.1 cm). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

One of a Pair of Attendant Bodhisattvas 10th-11th century China. One of a Pair of Attendant Bodhisattvas 61667

God of Longevity (Shoulao) 18th century China The prominent cranium identifies this figure as Shoulao, the God of Longevity. Here, he holds a peach, a symbol of long life, and his jacket is decorated with the Chinese character for longevity (shou).. God of Longevity (Shoulao) 47916

Bodhisattva Lokesvara. Last quarter of the 10th century - early 11th century. Style Khleang, Cambodia (late 10th-early 11th century). Sandstone sculpture

Buddha with Hand in Gesture of Teaching (Vitarkamudra) 701 CE-800 CE Thailand. Bronze .

Antique sculpture of Bodhisattva Maitreya from Afghanistan, CSMVS Museum, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Asia India Copyright: xDuttagupta/DinodiaxPhotox -

Bodhisattva Kannon. Culture: Japan. Dimensions: H. 30 in. (76.2 cm); Diam. of lower pedestal 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm). Date: 17th or 18th century.This pair of bodhisattvas (2006.437a-e and .438a-e) was originally part of a sculptural group centering on Amida Buddha (Sanskrit: Amitabha), who presides over the Western Paradise. Seishi (Sanskrit: Mahasthamaprapta), who holds his hands in the gesture of adoration, once stood to Buddha's right. His companion, Kannon (Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara), typically would have held a small lotus pedestal representing a throne for the deceased soul. The bodhisattvas have small, gentle faces with fleshy features and plump bodies that contribute to an androgynous impression. A sense of deep devotion is expressed in their slightly bent backs. Both wear long, flowing skirts that reach their dainty feet in rippling folds and scarves that partially cover their shoulders and fall to their legs. The large mandorlas (halos) that must have once shielded the deities'

Buddha. Buddha on the Naga Mucilinda; Buddha in meditation seated on a throne; The throne is formed by the body of the seven-member hose, which surrounds the head of Buddha with its heads. On base.

Head of a bodhisattva China. Head of a bodhisattva 61695

Head of Buddha. Culture: China. Dimensions: H. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm); W. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); D. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm). Date: mid-8th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Head of bodhisattva Takeuchi, kyūichi (1857 1916)

Five-headed bust of Shiva, third divinity of Hindu trinity (trimurti). Mid-10th century. Photograph.

Head of a Buddha ca. 4th century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara). Head of a Buddha 38833

Chessman (Bishop) ca. 1870 Elkington & Co. British. Chessman (Bishop) 201570

Vishnu, 10th century AD, Vaishnav cult, Kalchurian period found at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India Copyright: xHarixMahidhar/DinodiaxPhotox

Plaque: Palace Priest (Ooton) 16th-17th century Edo peoples At its origins, the centralized city-state of Benin was founded by Edo-speaking peoples. The accounts by official court historians and descriptions provided by visitors evoke a vibrant cultural center continually redefined by its leadership through shifting internal and external power dynamics. According to oral tradition, circa 1300, Edo chiefs are reputed to have reached out to the leader of neighboring Ife, Oranmiyan, to establish a new divinely sanctioned royal dynasty. Since then, the investiture of Benins rulers to the title of obas has conferred upon them at once a role of chief priest officiating in important religious ceremonies and presiding over an elaborate structure of palace officials. During the fifteenth century reign of Oba Ewuare, Benins armies were formed and the fortification of its capital with a massive wall undertaken. In parallel, delegations of Portuguese traders assiduously sought to secure exclusiv

Standing Prajnaparamita 13th century Thailand. Standing Prajnaparamita 39147

Flying Celestial Apsara (Feitian 天) 7th century China Celestial attendants to both Buddhist and Hindu deities in South Asia, apsaras are also frequently depicted in East Asia Buddhist art. This diamond-shaped tile may have decorated the exterior of the pagoda of the Xiuding Temple near Anyang in Henan Province. Flying Celestial Apsara (Feitian 天) 60778

DIVINIDAD NIGERIANA DEL FUEGO. Location: MUSEOS VATICANOS-MUSEO ETNOGRAFICO. VATICANO. DIOS NIGERIANO.

One of the Hehe Er Xian brothers holding small vase with lotus buds. unknown, craftsman

Quan yin from red stoneware. Women's figure, kuan yin, from red stoneware.

Buddhist Diety: Probably the Bodhisattva Horse-Headed Kannon. Japan, ascribed to early Heian period, ascribed to early Heian period. Sculpture. Wood

Itinerant Priest. Japan, 19th century. Costumes; Accessories. Wood

Holy Pope, Fragment. The figure, which ends with the medicine, has bent the arms beside the body. The face exhibits a slightly crooked mouth, pleats next to the eyes and a lower chin. He carries a tiara with suspended buildings, a choir shirt, above which the amicic protrudes, and a choral cover for the chest held together by a band.

Plaque with Buddhist Triad 7th century China. Plaque with Buddhist Triad 61652

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) late 6th century China This sculpture is one of the earliest known examples of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara holding a willow branch. The willow, which later becomes standard in the imagery of Avalokiteshvara, is associated with healing.. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin). China. late 6th century. Gilt bronze. Sui dynasty (581-618). Sculpture

White-RobedGuanyin

Protector Deity Begtse Chen 1801-1900 Tibet. Gilt copper alloy with traces of orange pigment . Tibeto-Chinese

Ifa Divination Vessel: Female Caryatid (Agere Ifa) 17th-19th century Yoruba peoples, Owo group This Yoruba ivory divination vessel (agree Ifa), consisting of a bowl supported by a female caryatid, served as a receptacle for the sixteen sacred palm nuts (ikin). Through this medium, Ifa priests communicated with the god of fate, Orunmila, in order to obtain insights into an individuals destiny. The investment in costly material and the high-quality artistry apparent in its design elevate it beyond a mere functional implement. This depiction of a woman bearing an offering in a devotional attitude conveys the notion that it was conceived of as a form of prayer to the divine. This tribute to Orunmila takes the form of a kneeling female figure, whose legs are folded beneath her. She balances an offering bowl on her head and supports it with raised arms, hands held to either side of it. Her strong, broad torso contrasts with the graceful sweep of her attenuated arms. Her facial features are

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