Seated Maitreya
1 of 2
About this Brooklyn Icon
The Brooklyn Museum is commemorating its 200th anniversary by spotlighting 200 standout objects in its encyclopedic collection.
Most schools of Buddhism posit the existence of multiple Buddhas. Of these, only Shakyamuni has come to earth, living among humans and founding the religion in the 5th century B.C.E. Another Buddha, Maitreya, is expected to come to earth in the future. Some Buddhists worship him in anticipation of his arrival.
This image of Maitreya includes a spot on his forehead (urna) and a bump atop his head (ushnisha), both special marks of the Buddhas. His draped robes and short, curly hair associate him with a monastic lifestyle. Maitreya can be distinguished from other Buddhas by the small water-pouring vessel (kundika) that here appears on the lotus by his shoulder and by the tiny burial structure (stupa) at the top of his head.
Although masterfully cast and gilded, this Maitreya is unusual in its facial structure and the way its robe dips down at the front. The artist or workshop that made the image either did not produce many pieces or was experimenting with various styles. The sculpture may come from an area in the western Himalayas that was a crossroads for artisans and Buddhist scholars traveling between modern-day India, Nepal, and Tibet.
Object Label
Many Buddhists believe that another Buddha, named Maitreya, is waiting to descend to earth. When he arrives, he will reintroduce Buddhist teachings to humankind. This image shows Maitreya making hand gestures associated with teaching.
The monasteries of Tibet attracted scholars, patrons, and artists from distant areas of Asia, and the style of this image reflects the cosmopolitan nature of Tibetan Buddhist art. The Buddha’s clinging robe, with its stylized folds, derives from representations made in Nepal and eastern India, while the spiked hair curls and broad face are more typical of Chinese Buddhist sculptures.
Caption
Seated Maitreya, 13th–14th century. Gilt copper alloy, 10 1/4 x 7 1/2 x 3 in. (26 x 19.1 x 7.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund, 67.80. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 67.80_front_PS11.jpg)
Tags
Collection
Collection
Title
Seated Maitreya
Date
13th–14th century
Geography
Place made: Tibet
Medium
Gilt copper alloy
Classification
Dimensions
10 1/4 x 7 1/2 x 3 in. (26 x 19.1 x 7.6 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund
Accession Number
67.80
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.
Frequent Art Questions
What is the symbol he’s making with his hands?
This Buddha's hands are in the dharmachakra mudra (position). This symbolizes "turning the wheel" and relates to the idea of teaching Buddhism.What is this?
You're looking at a Tibetan sculpture of the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will become the Buddha of the future. Maitreya can be identified by the object resting atop the lotus by his shoulder. It is a kundika, or pouring vessel. If you look closely, you can just make out the spout. He holds his hands in the dharmachakra mudra.Interesting! Could you tell me more about how this figure becomes the Buddha?There are multiple Buddhas, though the one you think of as Buddha was Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of buddhism, who is also referred to as Gautama Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha. This Buddha, Maitreya, is a different Buddha entirely. Bodhisattvas are figures who live on earth, and are well on the path to, but have not yet, attained Buddhahood, by following the tenets of Buddhism.So cool. Thank you for the concise, but thorough, history!This topic can get pretty complex! You're welcome.Is this a buddha?
This is a seated Maitreya, a boddhisattva known as "the buddha of the future." He can be identified by the stupa (mound-like building) emerging from the flower by his shoulder.With his hands he makes the dharmachakra mudra, a position that symbolizes turning the wheel, a concept related to teaching in Buddhism. His long, empty earlobes, meanwhile, stand for emptiness, and a lack of attachment.Tell me more.
This statue shows us a seated Maitreya. He is known to be the Buddha of the future, responsible for eventually returning Buddhism to a world that has forgotten it.We know that this is Maitreya because of the kundika, or pouring vessel, on top of the lotus on his shoulder.Maitreya holds his hands in the dharmachakra mudra as well, a gesture that symbolizes turning the wheel and buddhist teaching, and therefore a reference to the future.
Have information?
Have information about an artwork? Contact us at
