Bodhisattva Manjushri (?)
9th/10th century
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
9 × 6 × 6 cm (3 1/2 × 2 3/8 × 2 3/8 in.)
Classification
bronze
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
156605
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze sculpture, tentatively identified as the Bodhisattva Manjushri, dates to the 9th or 10th century and stands just 9 cm tall, making it a remarkably intimate devotional object from Asia's rich Buddhist heritage. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, it exemplifies the portable art created for personal worship or portable shrines during a golden age of Buddhist iconography. Crafted in bronze—a medium prized for its durability and ability to capture fine details through lost-wax casting—this small figure likely embodies Manjushri, the Bodhisattva ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...