Buddha with Attendants on Mythical Animal
Pre-Angkorean
Dvaravati period, 7th‒8th century
Medium
Sandstone
Dimensions
43.5 × 32.3 × 14 cm (17 1/8 × 12 3/4 × 5 1/2 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
147004
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This distinctive composition belongs to the early culture of Dvaravati, which flourished in what is now Thailand during the 7th and 8th centuries. Both Hinduism and Buddhism were practiced in the region, which was heavily influenced by India. The work features a Buddha standing on a lotus pedestal atop a mythical winged and horned creature. The central figure is flanked by two attendants with bare chests and wearing elaborate hairstyles and jewelry. This type of composition may have been attache...