The bodhisattva Maitreya sculpture, Asia
Summary
Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, is making the abhaya mudra, or ‘fear not’ gesture. His webbed fingers are a sign of his divine nature. This figure shows that Buddhist art in Gandhara, which was in contact via trade routes with regions around the Mediterranean Sea, was influenced by Greco-Roman sculpture. The drapery folds of the Maitreya’s lower garment,
for instance, recall Roman figures, while his hairstyle is based on representations of the Greek god Apollo.
Tags
Date
0200 - 0300
Source
Rijksmuseum
Copyright info
Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication ("CCO 1.0 Dedication")