Seated Buddha Flanked by Two Bodhisattvas
Unknown Artist
7th–9th century
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 2 3/4 in. (7cm); W. 2in. (5.1 cm); D. 1/2 in. (1.3 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture & Period
Thailand · Mon-Dvaravati period
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Michael Phillips and Juliana Maio, 2001
Accession Number
2001.770.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta sculpture, *Seated Buddha Flanked Two Bodhisattvas*,ails from Thailand's Mon-Dvaravati period (7th–9th century a time when Buddhism flourished among the Mon people in central Siam. Crafted in a modest scale—standing just 2¾ inches tall—the piece captures the Buddha in a serene seated posture, attended by two compassionate Bodhisattvas, enlightened beings who delay nirvana to aid others. Such triads were common in early Southeast Asian Buddhist art, symbolizing the path to enlightenment and divine protection. Terracotta, fired clay abundant in the region, allowed artis...