Buddhist Sculpture
The Buddhist religion began with the life of an individual. Siddharta Gautama achieved enlightenment over 2,500 years ago and his message is still popular today. Buddha and his deities represent beings that have achieved a complete state of spiritual enlightenment after a series of reincarnations. These figures have been widely interpreted across Asian cultures and materials due to the breadth of his teachings. Missionaries had taken these teachings from Siddhartha’s birthplace in South Asia to China and soon the canon expanded to include devotees in Korea and Japan. Vast reverence across various cultures transformed artistic interpretations of Buddhist imagery and iconography. In early sculptures, Buddha was not represented in a human form but rather suggested through abstract symbols like a wheel, footprints or an empty throne. When Buddha began to take a human form, there is a suggestion of the influence of Western Hellenistic culture that can be seen in the realism of the features and the complex rendition of fabric drapery. The iconic calming face of Buddha was established at this time, with eyes half closed and the eternal expression of serenity. Find your inner peace with a figure of Buddha in our upcoming Asian Works of Art at Stair, October 14th at 11 am.
Time & Location
Asian Works of Art
Thursday, October 14 at 11am