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Maitreya Bodhisattva
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Maitreya Bodhisattva
INDONESIA; Srivijaya Empire (circa 7th–13th century), late 7th–early 9th century; Bronze; H: 23.5 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Dated to the Srivijaya Empire (circa 7th–13th century), the statue is recognized as Maitreya due to the presence of the stupa often found on the Bodhisattva’s headdress. However, other scholars believe the statue could be of Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of great wisdom, since a sutra scroll is held in the left hand.
Besides having hair tied into a tall headdress, long locks also cascade onto the shoulders. The upper body is unadorned apart from a pair of floral armlets, indistinct bracelets and simple earrings. The pleated belt is also quite simple and secures the lower garment, which is smooth and has no folds. The right foot is slightly advanced, with the weight on the left leg. |
