Stele of a Standing Buddha

534–550 C.E.

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Brooklyn Museum photograph

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)

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

Sculpture

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.

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