Collection record · Belief & ritual
Bodhisattva
The collection record classifies this work as sculpture. It is dated 700s. Recorded culture or place: China, Tang dynasty (618-907).
Explore the object recordOBJECT RECORD
A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Bodhisattva
- Date
- 700s
- Culture / origin
- China, Tang dynasty (618-907)
- Materials and technique
- dry lacquer
- Dimensions
- Overall: 44 x 37 cm (17 5/16 x 14 9/16 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 1983.86
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
The bodhisattva, an enlightened being dedicated to the spiritual awakening of all beings, is shown sitting in a relaxed pose, the eyes half-closed in an expression of profound meditation. The statue is modeled in a sensuous manner.
It is made using the dry lacquer technique whereby a clay core is first constructed and then overlaid with fabrics saturated with lacquer. Once the lacquer layers are set, the core is removed. This kind of hollow dry lacquer statue is lightweight and easy to carry.
The piece once suffered from severe surface retouching that distorted its original beauty. The museum's conservation work has removed coats of overpainting and over-restoration, revealing the true appearance of the glossy black lacquered surface with traces of cut-gold decoration and pigments.
FOLLOW THE SOURCE
Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · Given in memory of Howard Parmelee Eells Jr. by his wife, Adele Chisholm Eells · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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