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Mogao Cave 17: Bodhisattva with a Bowl
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Mogao Cave 17: Bodhisattva with a Bowl
CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty (618–907); Ink and color on silk; 172.5 x 18 cm; British Museum, London, United Kingdom
This is one of the best preserved banners discovered in Mogao Cave 17. The plain triangular headpiece is outlined with light colored strips of silk. A Bodhisattva standing on a lotus pedestal is painted on the body. Uniquely depicted facing backwards with the head turned to one side, the Bodhisattva wears a golden robe and a headdress. The right hand holds a Persian style bowl containing a lotus flower. The four streamers that make up the footer are decorated with vines and fastened to a red weighting board at the bottom. The side streamers are simple, unadorned pieces of silk. |
