Buddha Shakyamuni

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Buddha Shakyamuni

Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura Period, 9th century
Sculpture
Copper alloy
5 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/4 in. (12.7 x 10.79 x 5.71 cm)
Gift of Joan Palevsky and the Museum Acquisition Fund (M.76.46)
South and Southeast Asian Art
Currently on public view:
Resnick Pavilion, floor 1

Since gallery displays may change often, please contact us before you visit to make certain this item is on view.

Curator Notes

This serene representation of Buddha Shakyamuni epitomizes early Sri Lanka Buddha images made in the refined style associated with the Anuradhapura Kingdom (437 BCE-1017 CE) located in the north centr...
This serene representation of Buddha Shakyamuni epitomizes early Sri Lanka Buddha images made in the refined style associated with the Anuradhapura Kingdom (437 BCE-1017 CE) located in the north central province of modern Sri Lanka. Inspired by southern Indian Buddha images imported into Sri Lanka, stone Buddha images were made in Anuradhapura by the 4th century and bronze images by the 6th century. The Buddha displays several of the standard iconographic features. He has snail-curl hair, the cranial protuberance (ushnisha) emblematic of his omniscience, elongated earlobes symbolizing his renunciation of the material world, and heavily-lidded pensive eyes conveying his compassion for all sentient beings. Due to surface corrosion, it is uncertain if there was originally a sacred forehead marking (urna), but early Anuradhapura Buddha images generally do not have one. A now-damaged flame motif (ketumala), symbolic of the Buddha's knowledge (jñana), forms a finial on top of the head. He sits in the meditation posture (padma asana). His two hands in his lap are in the gesture of meditation (dhyana mudra). His robe is almost transparent, marked only by the hems. The outer robe is worn over his left shoulder only.
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Bibliography

  • Romain, Julie. "Ananda Coomaraswamy and the formation of the Sri Lanka collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art." Journal of the History of Collections 28 no.3 (2016): 465-478.
  • Little, Stephen, and Tushara Bindu Gude. Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art across Asia. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2025.
  • Romain, Julie. "Ananda Coomaraswamy and the formation of the Sri Lanka collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art." Journal of the History of Collections 28 no.3 (2016): 465-478.
  • Little, Stephen, and Tushara Bindu Gude. Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art across Asia. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2025.
  • Pal, Pratapaditya; Dehejia, Vidya; Slusser, Mary Shepherd; Fisher, Robert E.; Brown, Robert L. Arts of Asia 15 (6): 68-125 (November- December 1985).
  • Brown, Robert L., Tushara Bindu Gude, Donald Stadtner, and Lakshika Senarath Gamage. The Jeweled Isle: Art from Sri Lanka. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2018.
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