Buddha sheltered by Muchalinda thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Buddha sheltered by Muchalinda

Figure
c. 3rd century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Andhra Pradesh (made)

Muchalinda Buddha, mid 3rd century, Limestone, Andhra Pradesh.

Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Buddhism
Object type
Figure
TitleBuddha sheltered by Muchalinda (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Carved marble
Marble
Carving
Brief description
Muchalinda Buddha, mid 3rd century, Limestone, Andhra Pradesh.
Physical description
This small relief with a pointed apex represents the Buddha, with his right hand raised, symbolising his role as protector,seated in meditation. He sits on two coils of the snake (naga) deity, Muchalinda (Mucalinda), whose body curls up behind the master's raised arm with his multi heads fanning out above the Buddha's head. This represents the scene when the serpent-king Muchalinda protected the Buddha for seven days during a violent storm after his Enlightenment. The relief is damaged on the right side so that half of the snake deity's heads are missing. The Buddha wears a monk's robe which is shown falling over his left shoulder with the end tucked over his left arm above his hand which rests upturned in his lap. The Buddha has a severe appearance with a turned -down mouth, deep-set staring eyes, long ear lobes and his hair shown like a cap inscribed with rough circles to denote curls rising to a shallow ushnisha.
Dimensions
  • Height: 16.5cm
  • Width: 14.6cm
  • Depth: 3cm
Gallery label
(06/06/2011)
9. The Buddha Sheltered by the Snake-King
Muchalinda
About 250
Satavahana period
Limestone
South-eastern India (probably Nagarjunakonda, Andhra Pradesh)
Given by E.H. Hunt, FRCS
Museum no. IM.81-1936
Credit line
Given by E.H. Hunt Esq., F.R.C.S.
Object history
Serpent worship has been popular in the region at Amaravati and Nagarjunakunda since ancient times. This piece was bought by the donor from a dealer in Hyderabad.
Subjects depicted
Buddhist
Snake
Summary
Muchalinda Buddha, mid 3rd century, Limestone, Andhra Pradesh.
Bibliographic references
  • The Buddhist art of Nāgārjunakoṇḍa / Elizabeth Rosen Stone. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1994 Number: 8120808282 pp. 53, 57 and 66; illustration 118 Barrett,D., Sulptures from Amaravati in the British Museum, 1954, pl.II. Zimmer, The Art of the Indian Asia, I. pp.63-4 for Muchalinda story. Guy, John. 'Buddhist Bronzes of Southern India : Rediscovering a Lost History' in Arts of Asia, vol. 30, No. 6, Nov-Dec 2000, pp.103-110.
  • Guy, John. ‘Indian Temple Sculpture’, London : V&A Publications, 2007. p.20. pl.12. ISBN 9781851775095
  • Barnard, Nick. 'A Third-Century CE Nagarjunakonda Relief and Other Sculpture from Andhra Pradesh in the Victoria and Albert Museum' in Shimada, A. and Willis, M. (eds.) Amaravati: The Art of an Early Buddhist Monument in Context, British Museum Research Publication 207. The British Museum, London, 2016. ISBN 978 0861592074. p.79, fig. 105
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IM.81-1936

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Record createdJanuary 2, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72373/buddha-sheltered-by-muchalinda-figure-unknown/
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