The bodhisattva Maitreya

anonymous, c. 200 - c. 300

Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, is making the abhaya mudra, or '˜fear not' gesture. His webbed fingers are a sign of his divine nature. This figure shows that Buddhist art in Gandhara, which was in contact via trade routes with regions around the Mediterranean Sea, was influenced by Greco-Roman sculpture. The drapery folds of the Maitreya's lower garment, for instance, recall Roman figures, while his hairstyle is based on representations of the Greek god Apollo.

  • Artwork typefigure, sculpture, Maitreya
  • Object numberAK-MAK-1188
  • Dimensionsheight 52 cm x width 30 cm x depth 12 cm
  • Physical characteristicsslate, polychrome, gilding

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • The Bodhisattva Maitreya
    • The bodhisattva Maitreya

  • Object type

  • Object number

    AK-MAK-1188

  • Description

    Bodhisattva Maitreya, de rechterhand omhooggehouden (abhaya-mudra); de linkerhand met het attribuut is afgebroken.

Creation

  • Creation

    anonymous, Gandhara

  • Dating

    c. 200 - c. 300

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    slate, polychrome, gilding

  • Dimensions

    height 52 cm x width 30 cm x depth 12 cm

This work is about

  • Subject

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    On loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands (schenking Vereniging Rembrandt, 1968)

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    …; from the dealer A. Vecht, fl. 16,500, to the Vereniging Rembrandt, 1968;{Note RMA.} by whom donated to the Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst;{Note RMA.} from whom on loan to the museum, 1972

Documentation

Persistent URL

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  • The bodhisattva Maitreya
  • The bodhisattva Maitreya
  • The bodhisattva Maitreya
  • The bodhisattva Maitreya