The Historical Buddha Shakyamuni with Attendant Bodhisattvas

Artist: Unknown

late 12th century

Asian Art

In this image, the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni is seated in meditation with his left hand resting in his lap and his right reaching down to touch the earth. He is attended by two standing and four seated bodhisattvas, beings that have also achieved enlightenment but remain accessible to others seeking enlightenment during their daily lives. By the twelfth century, Nepal had become a major center for Buddhist practice. Nepali artists worked for Tibetan patrons and often traveled to Tibet, which led to the development of the Newari-based style of Tibetan painting, which features dark blues and reds, symmetrical compositions, sensitive contours, and an interest in decorative details, such as the small petals seen here falling in the background.

Medium

Opaque watercolor on cloth

Dimensions

framed: 15 1/2 × 16 in. (39.4 × 40.6 cm)

Credit Line

Lent by Steven M. Kossak, B.A. 1972

Loan number

ILE2024.3.3

Culture
Classification
Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance

Provenance

George Sheridan (1923–2008), Deia, Mallorca, Spain; sale, Bonham’s London, April 8, 2014, lot. 205; sold to Steven M. Kossak, New York, April 8, 2014 (on loan to the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn., from 2022)
Object copyright

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