Art

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