Torso of a Bodhisattva

Expand

IIIFView PDF

Torso of a Bodhisattva

Place of OriginIndia

DateGupta Period (320-647), about 600

DimensionsH: 40 3/16 in. (102.1 cm); W: 18 3/16 in. (46.2 cm); Depth: 12 in. (30.5 cm)

MediumSandstone

ClassificationSculpture

Credit LineGift of Thomas T. Solley

Object number

1991.51

Not on View

Label TextA bodhisattva is a divine Buddhist being who has decided to stay on earth to help all living things reach salvation and paradise. Images of bodhisattvas are similar to those of Buddha, but they wear luxurious jewelry and elaborate headdresses. Gupta artists of India established the standard repertoire of Buddhist images. The fullness of the torso in this fragmentary sculpture exemplifies prana (literally, in-breath), a concept of cosmic life force adapted from Hinduism. It represents the spiritual as well as physical well-being of the deity.Comparative ReferencesSee also Pal, Pratapatiya, The Sensuous Immortals, Cambridge, 1978, pp. 38-43.

cf. Chandra, Pramod, The Scultpure of India, Washington, D.C., 1985, pp. 68, 76, 94.