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Head of a Boddhisattva

Image credit: The Henry Barber Trust, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham

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Notes

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When acquired this was thought to be a fragment of a full-length colossal statue made for a Buddhist temple in China in the Tang Dynasty (618 AD–907 AD). A Bodhisattva is someone who has reached the wisdom of Buddha, but who remains in this world. Motivated by compassion and a desire to help suffering humanity, they choose to serve as intermediaries for the Buddha. These qualities are here expressed in a face with a serene smile and a gentle expression. The head is crowned with three figures, with the Buddha on his lotus throne in the centre. It is now believed that this head is a modern pastiche, made for the European market.

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts

Birmingham

Title

Head of a Boddhisattva

Date

early 20th C

Medium

limestone with traces of paint

Measurements

H 58.4 x W (?) x D (?) cm

Accession number

43.3

Acquisition method

purchased from the United Aid to China Fund, 1943

Work type

Bust

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Normally on display at

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts

University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TS England

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