Buddha head, carved grey limestone with traces of pigment, probably from Xiangtangshan, Hebei province, China, Northern Qi dynasty, 550-577.

Large 3-dimensional rounded face/head of Buddha, fractured at the chin. There is colour visible on his lips, eyes and eyebrows, and his mouth is closed. His eyes look downwards. He has high arched brows, bobbled hair with an ushnisha (bun hairstyle). The eyebrows are curved in a butterfly shape, a Chinese sign of beauty, and the symmetrical composition and serene expression expresses Buddhist ideals - the renunciation of worldly desires and the attainment of enlightenment.

Presented by Art Fund

Loaned to Burlington House Fair Exhibition Sept. 9-20, 1987, Royal Academy of Arts. A similar sculpture is A.27-1914, and there are also similar works at Philadelphia University and Cologne. It would have been part of an entire figure, and displayed high up.

Historical significance: This piece is probably from the Xiangtangshan cave complex in northern China, of which the sculptures were scattered across international collections in the early 20th century. A Project was established to create a digital reconstruction of what the cave complex would have looked like (see references).

This is probably from the Xiangtangshan cave temples in Northern China.

Traces of pigment accentuate the eyebrows, eyes and mouth of this huge head. The hairstyle is typical of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni, with tight curls and the prominent usnisa or topknot. The mark on the forehead, expressing wisdom and openness, originally incorporated an impressive jewel. Once part of a monumental figure in a cave complex, the head would have looked down from high. Its symmetrical composition and serene expression would have inspired Buddhist followers standing below.

A.98-1927