唐 鎏金青銅毗盧遮那佛坐像|Seated Buddha Vairocana
Unknown Artist
early 8th century
Medium
Gilt bronze
Dimensions
H. 8 in. (20.3 cm); W. 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm); D. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture & Period
China · Tang dynasty (618–907)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1943
Accession Number
43.24.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gilt bronze Seated Buddha Vairocana crafted in early 8th-century China during the Tang dynasty (618907), embodies the era's artistic pinnacle and deep Buddhist devotion. Standing just 8 inches tall, this intimate sculpture likely served private worship, reflecting Buddhism's widespread influence amid the Tang's cosmopolitan prosperity—when silk roads brought diverse ideas and the faith flourished under imperial patronage. The figure depicts Vairocana, the cosmic Buddha symbolizing ultimate reality and enlightenment, seated in a meditative pose with a serene, rounded face and fl...