Art

  • Jizo Bosatsu, Bodhisattva in the Guise of a Monk
  • The Buddha Begins Teaching
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Yakshi, Nymph with Lotus Flowers, fragment of a baluster
  • Sitatara, White Tara
  • Buddha Shakyamuni From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • State Oracle Garment
  • Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Green Tara (Shyama Tara)
  • Taima Mandala, the Buddha Amida’s Paradise
  • Budai
  • Stupa
  • Ushnishavijaya
  • Bodhidharma Crosses the Yangtze River on a Reed
  • Gazelle
  • The Arhats Kanakavasta, Vajriputra, Kanaka Bharadvaja, and Bhadra From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The Transcendent Buddha Akshobhya
  • Zen Priest in a Golden Wrap
  • The 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617)
  • The Prophecy of the Buddha Dipankara
  • The Ascetic Milarepa
  • Mara’s Daughters Tempt the Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni and the Earth-Touching Gesture
  • Praying Priest
  • Female Monkey with Her Young
  • Hotei
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Sheltered by the Serpent-King
  • Head of a Buddha
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in the Posture of Royal Ease
  • Head of a Monk
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as the Patron of fishermen
  • Buddha Shakyamuni at the Moment of his Awakening
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Relief of the Five Transcendent Buddhas
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Tames the Wild Elephant Nalagiri
  • Gendün Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama (1476–1542)
  • Baisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha
  • Shakyamuni Enters Nirvana
  • Padmasambhava
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion Sitting in Meditation
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Guhyamanjuvajra
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion as the Bringer of Sons
  • Head of a Lokeshvara
  • Half-length Portrait of the Zen Patriarch Bodhidharma
  • Buddhist Votive Stela of the Yan Family
  • The Three Buddhas Dipankara, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya
  • Standing Monk with Hands Folded
  • Dharani Sutra of the Heart of the Perfection of Insight
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Portrait of the Abbot Ennin
  • The Death of the Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Ceremonial Dagger Featuring the God of Death
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddha Shakyamuni 
  • Votive Stela with Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Vijaya Stupa
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • Stela Showing Scenes from the Life of the Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni with Scenes from his Life
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Rectangular Coin
  • The Four Excursions
  • Large Votive Stupa
  • Monumental Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Head of the Buddha
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Sakya Pandita (1182–1252)
  • Portrait of the Zen Priest Gemmon Doyu
  • Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Bodhidharma
  • Buddhist Monastic Rules from the Pali Canon
  • Pancha Raksha Manuscript
  • Great Stupa at Sanchi
  • Travel Shrine
  • The Prophecy of the Wise Asita
  • Hotei, One of the Gods of Good Fortune, with Child
  • Buddha Vairocana
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • Plaque Showing the Buddha Teaching
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Arhats Bakula, Rahula, Cudapanthaka, and Pindola From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Thangka of the Twenty-One Taras
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddhist Pocket-sized Prayer Altar
  • Leaving for Homelessness
  • Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Monastic Rules for Monks
  • Buddha Dipankara, the Buddha of the Past
  • The Buddha Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Vajradhara, the Primordial Buddha
  • Empress Jito, from the series “Parody of the Ogura Version of ‘One Hundred Poets, One Hundred Poems’ ”
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Meditating Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Standing Bodhisattva
  • Machig Labdrön
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Amida Nyorai, Buddha of the Western Paradise
  • Standing Tara
  • The Arhats Vanavasin, Angaja, Kalika, and Ajita From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Dharmatala and two lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Votive Stela Depicting Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Head of the Buddha
  • Jambhala, the God of Wealth
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddhist Monk
  • Excerpt from the Lotus Sutra
  • Vase with Lotus Vines and the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism
  • Dharmapala Yama
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Attains Awakening Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Standing Buddha Amida
  • Mahasiddha Virupa
  • Bust of a Luohan
  • Printing Block for a Prayer from the Text “Embodiment of the Three Jewels” by Jatson Nyingpo (1585–1656)
  • Shaka Nyorai, the Historical Buddha
  • Dakini Vasya-Vajravarahi
  • The Arhats Panthaka, Gopaka, Nagasena, and Abheda From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The Layman Huashang and Two Lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Stupa
  • Six Persimmons
  • The Buddha’s Parinirvana
  • Prince Siddhartha’s Wedding
  • The Four Pleasures of Nan Shenglu (detail)
  • Buddha Maitreya
  • Buddha Shakyamuni as a Newborn Infant
  • Standing Buddha
Head of a Lokeshvara

Head of a Lokeshvara

This over 800-year old figure is from Cambodia. By the third century, Buddhism had already spread from northern India across entire South-east Asia – including Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia. 

Audio Description

https://rietberg.fluxguide.com/fluxguide/Icon Audiodeskription

Is this the face of a human or a divine being?

https://rietberg.fluxguide.com/fluxguide/Head of a Lokeshvara

You’re at the Museum Rietberg, standing before this work of art?

Faces of the Bodhisattva Lokeshvara, Bayon temple complex, Cambodia

https://rietberg.fluxguide.com/fluxguide/Faces of the Bodhisattva Lokeshvara, Bayon temple complex, Cambodia

The Bayon temple complex in Cambodia was built by King Jayavarman VII. Originally it featured more than fifty towers, which were adorned with more than 200 faces of the Bodhisattva Lokeshvara. These faces, too, were regarded as portraits of the ruler.