Not currently on display at the V&A

Crowned Buddha Shakyamuni

Sculpture
12th Century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A seated Buddha with right hand in bhumisparsa mudra, touching the earth, denotes the moment before his Enlightenment when he called upon the Earth to witness his overcoming of the forces of Evil. Left hand on lap with palm upwards.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCrowned Buddha Shakyamuni (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Cast brass, inlaid with copper and silver.
Brief description
The crowned Buddha at Bodhgaya, cast brass, Bihar, Eastern India, 12th century.
Physical description
A seated Buddha with right hand in bhumisparsa mudra, touching the earth, denotes the moment before his Enlightenment when he called upon the Earth to witness his overcoming of the forces of Evil. Left hand on lap with palm upwards.
Dimensions
  • Height: 9.5cm
  • Width: 6.5cm
  • Depth: 2.25in
Style
Gallery label
THE CROWNED BUDDHA AT BODHGAYA Copper alloy, inlaid with copper and silver Bihar, Eastern India Pala period c.12th century IS.46-1966(25/09/2000)
Object history
Purchased from Mrs. A.M.Stodart, from whom it had formerly been on loan. According to a note in the 1966 V&A Register this Buddha, described as 'North India (Mahayana Buddhist); 11th-12th century', was 'Dug up near Congeeveram (the ancient Kanchi) in the Chengalpat district, Madras Presidency, having been buried probably in the 13th or 14th century', in common with V&A Museum numbers IS.44-1966 and IS.45-1966.

"This finely modelled figure closely follows eastern India sculptural models of the late Pala period (c. 10th-12th century). It was reportedly excavated near Kancipuram, in Tamil Nadu, southern India, prior to 1917. There was considerable mobility of images in the Buddhist world; another Burmese sculpture has been excavated at Nagapattinam, a major Buddhist centre in coastal Tamil Nadu." John Guy.
Production
Bihar, Eastern India
Subject depicted
Bibliographic reference
Arts of Bengal : the heritage of Bangladesh and eastern India : an exhibition organized by the Whitechapel Art Gallery in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum : 9 November-30 December 1979, Whitechapel Art Gallery ..., 12 January-17 February 1980, Manchester City Art Gallery ... . [London]: Whitechapel Art Gallery, [1979] Number: 085488047X (pbk.) : p.27
Collection
Accession number
IS.46-1966

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Record createdMarch 21, 2002
Record URL
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