The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 19, 2024
Shakyamuni Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness his Enlightenment
1000–1100s
Overall: 8.2 x 6.1 cm (3 1/4 x 2 3/8 in.)
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
Kaolinite is a mineral that is actually a type of clay.Description
Carved in a soft stone that approximates ivory, the central image of the historical Buddha at the moment of his enlightenment is surrounded by scenes from his own life, including his death at the top. The scenes are arranged not strictly chronologically, but aesthetically, such that the scenes where he is standing or seated are paired.A prayer written in a 12th-century Newari script indicates that this Indian sculpture was taken to Nepal. Buddhist travelers brought easily transportable personal devotional sculptures out of India to the Himalayas, where they served as models for local artists. Such works were valued abroad for their proximity to the source of Buddhism, founded in India during the 400s BC.
- ?-1965Claude De Marteau [d. 2017], Brussels, Belgium, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art1965-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Marcus, Margaret F. “Sculptures from Bihar and Bengal.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, vol. 54, no. 8, 1967, pp. 240–262. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 256, figs. 15-18 25152173
- Text and Image in Southern Asia (Indian Painting and Himalayan rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 26, 2022-March 5, 2023).Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 245). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (July 2, 2014-August 13, 2015).Sacred India. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 5, 1985-January 12, 1986).Year in Review: 1965. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27-November 14, 1965).
- {{cite web|title=Shakyamuni Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness his Enlightenment|url=false|author=|year=1000–1100s|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1965.27