Seated Bodhisattva Maitreya

557–581

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Object Label

Maitreya gained a strong following in East Asia, where he was considered more accessible than other Buddhas and was sometimes worshipped as a savior who might usher in a new era. In China he was depicted seated on a throne with both legs hanging, rather than with legs crossed in a meditative posture. His open palm, resting on his knee, is making the wish-granting gesture.

Caption

Seated Bodhisattva Maitreya, 557–581. Bronze with traces of gilding, 9 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 2 1/4 in. (24.8 x 14 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Asian Art Council, 88.93. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 88.93_SL1.jpg)

Title

Seated Bodhisattva Maitreya

Date

557–581

Dynasty

Northern Zhou Dynasty

Period

Northern Zhou Dynasty

Geography

Place made: China

Medium

Bronze with traces of gilding

Classification

Sculpture

Dimensions

9 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 2 1/4 in. (24.8 x 14 x 5.7 cm)

Credit Line

Gift of the Asian Art Council

Accession Number

88.93

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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