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Seated Bodhisattva: O.13-1930

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Object information

Current Location: Gallery 28 - Arts of Asia Gallery

Titles

Seated Bodhisattva

Maker(s)

Sculptor: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Lifesize, 13th-century Sung Dynasty (AD 960-1279) polychrome wooden sculpture of a Bodhisattva seated in the position known as "royal ease". Several wooden elements are missing including the proper right hand and forearm, the proper right foot, the forepart of the proper left foot, the forepart of the proper left first finger and the front edge of the lower garment (centre to proper right). The sculpture has been decorated with several successive campaigns of polychromy (paint and gilding), now very fragmentary and abraded. The eyes are inlaid with polished glass or stones.

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1930) by Yamanaka & Co

Dating

Song Dynasty#
1200 CE - 1279 CE

Note

Thanks to recent funding from the Museum's Marlay Group, it was possible to undertake technical analysis and conservation of this sculpture. This revealed that it was made in five sections and was painted-over at least five times in the past 800 years.

The Bodhisattva is an enlightened and compassionate being who postponed the Buddhahood to help save others.

Project

  • Sculpture UK

Materials used in production

Wood

Identification numbers

Accession number: O.13-1930
Primary reference Number: 77484
External ID: CAM_CCF_O_13_1930
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 12 January 2021 Last processed: Tuesday 5 September 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Seated Bodhisattva" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/77484 Accessed: 2024-12-03 18:10:56

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/77484 |title=Seated Bodhisattva |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-03 18:10:56|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Seated Bodhisattva</figcaption>
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