Bodhisattva; Sculpture, Met, China, iron, about 1490, Ming dynasty

Seated Bodhisattva, sitting cross-legged, with hole through his forehead. His left hand is open, holding a disk. He has tassles and a bow on his clothing, and five rows of beads. He has long earlobes with flowers in, and one foot revealed. He sits on a small stand integral to the sculpture. His aversion to the viewer and his inward serene expression encourage trust and convey his inner knowledge and meditative state. His right hand is raised and outward facing in the ‘fearlessness’ gesture, whilst his left hand is flat, holding a circular object. The beads hanging from his robe are probably rosaries, helping to keep track of prayers.

Cast iron sculpture became widespread for outdoor sculpture under the Song dynasty (960-1279) - technological advances made it far cheaper to produce, and once the sculptures had been covered with gesso, lacquer, paper and paint, they resembled images made of more expensive materials. This monk would have been covered with gesso and paint.

Attribution note: The sculpture is made from cast iron, formerly gessoed and painted.

A Bodhisattva is a being who delays enlightenment in order to help others achieve salvation. This figure is a rare example of a Bodhisattva made of cast iron, once stable enough to be displayed outdoors. The holes in the head were probably for insets of precious stones. The spiritual nature of the Bodhisattva is shown in the elongated ear lobes representing wisdom and the long, tied up hair suggesting a continued attachment to this world. His serene, inward expression conveys inner knowledge and a meditative state.

M.317-1921