Stele of a Standing Buddha
1 of 3
Object Label
Its dome-like cranial bump (ushnisha), stylized drapery, and elaborately decorated halo suggest that this Buddha was made during the brief reign of the Eastern Wei dynasty in northeastern China. The Buddha makes two hand gestures, or mudras: the hand pointing downward means “your wish is granted,” whereas the hand pointing upward (now partially broken) means “do not be afraid.”
Caption
Stele of a Standing Buddha, 534–550 C.E.. Sandstone, 53 × 23 × 8 in., 271 lb. (134.6 × 58.4 × 20.3 cm, 122.92kg). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, NYC, in honor of Arnold Lehman, 2015.3. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2015.3_front_PS9.jpg)
Collection
Collection
Title
Stele of a Standing Buddha
Date
534–550 C.E.
Dynasty
Eastern Wei Dynasty
Period
Eastern Wei Dynasty
Geography
Place made: China
Medium
Sandstone
Classification
Dimensions
53 × 23 × 8 in., 271 lb. (134.6 × 58.4 × 20.3 cm, 122.92kg)
Inscriptions
Painted inscription on reverse, in Chinese characters, to be read. Written in black on back: "30633, XRDXX, MX/1/1/2"
Credit Line
Gift of The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, NYC, in honor of Arnold Lehman
Accession Number
2015.3
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Have information?
Have information about an artwork? Contact us at