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Sakyamuni Buddha Triad |
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Sakyamuni Buddha Triad |
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Sakyamuni Buddha Triad |
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Sakyamuni Buddha Triad
CHINA; Yuan dynasty (1271–1368); Ink and color on silk; H: 114.2 cm; Nisonin Temple, Kyoto, Japan
The triad of Sakyamuni Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva was a common combination in Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasty artworks. In this set of three paintings, each measuring 114.2 cm high and 51.5 cm wide, each figure has a nimbus and wears an ornate monastic robe. The central figure, Sakyamuni Buddha, has a low usnisa, a broad forehead, and a round face. The right hand forms a mudra while the left hand rests on the knee. The Buddha sits in full lotus position on a hexagonal Sumeru throne. Manjusri Bodhisattva, on the right, wears a headdress and ornaments, and holds a ruyi (wish-fulfilling talisman) with both hands. The Bodhisattva sits on a lotus throne on the back of a fierce lion. A lion keeper stands in the bottom right corner. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, in the left panel, holds a sutra in hand and sits on a throne supported by an elephant. The thrones of both Bodhisattvas are uniquely depicted with swirling clouds beneath them. |