Art

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