Art

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

Head of the Buddha

This large, impressive head comes from the Buddhist cave temples at the “Mountain of Echoing Halls” in northern China. Around the year 550, seeking to perform meritorious deeds, Qi-dynasty rulers had a number of caves hewn out of limestone cliffs and then lavishly decorated with sculptures. The Southern Cave contained statues of three large Buddhas and their attendants. In their original location, the seated figures gazed down on devotees from a height of well over 3 metres.