NARRATOR:
This impressive bronze represents Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. It is said that the Buddha described him this way:
ACTOR:
“the light of knowledge, shining upon, the torch of knowledge that is the lamp for the world, the great brilliance, and the clear light.”
FEMALE NARRATOR:
Here, Manjushri is a robust smiling youth with princely ornaments and an elegant, commanding presence. His many looping necklaces and garlands move the eye around this magnificent sculpture and are echoed by the arcs in his extravagant crown.
Behind Manjushri, a peacock with luxurious wings and tail feathers gazes up adoringly—the bird, a symbol of immortality, is usually associated with him. Manjushri’s inlaid silver eyes and the turquoise urna in the center of his forehead add to the sumptuous effect of this unusual bronze. The urna represents a tuft of hair symbolizing auspiciousness.
Each of Manjushri’s six hands holds an object or displays a gesture indicating one of his special characteristics or powers. One of his top pair of hands grasps a rectangular manuscript symbolizing his transcendent knowledge. The other holds an object representing the Three Jewels of Buddhism—the Buddha, the Buddhist doctrine, or dharma, and the Buddhist monastic order. His middle two hands hold a long, graceful lotus and a rosary. One of his bottom hands holds a fruit, most likely a lemon; the other performs the gesture of gift-giving.
Bodhisattva Manjusri
9th century
Asia: India, State of Jammu and Kashmir
On View
Manjusri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, stands confidently with his peacock companion, who looks up adoringly at his master. Manjusri is portrayed as a handsome young god; his right hands exhibit the gesture of charity and hold a rosary and three jewels, while his left hands hold a manuscript, a flowering lotus and a fruit. The elaborate tiara with floral crests, the multiple necklaces and the long garland reaching nearly to his feet are all typical of Kashmiri sculptures.
Details
- Title: Bodhisattva Manjusri
- Date: 9th century
- Medium: Bronze inlaid with silver and copper
- Dimensions: overall: 20-1/8 x 7-3/4 x 4-1/4 in. (51.1 x 19.7 x 10.8 cm)
- Credit Line: The Norton Simon Foundation, Gift of Mr. Norton Simon
- Accession Number: F.1978.27.S
- Copyright: © The Norton Simon Foundation
Object Information
Treasures from the Himalayas: Sacred Treasures from Tibet, Nepal and Northern India
- Norton Simon Museum, 2003-05-30 to 2003-10-27
Painting and Sculpture from Nepal, Tibet and Northwest India
- Norton Simon Museum, 1994-09-22 to 1997-06-01
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Marg, fig. 16 pp. 61, 66, 68, 73
- Fisher, Robert E., Asian Art: Selections from the Norton Simon Museum, fig. 3 p. 50
- Schroeder, Ulrich von, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, no. 16G pp. 104, 107-109, 118-119
- Pal, Pratapaditya, American Collectors of Asian Art, 1986, fig. 16 pp. 132, 137
- Pal, Pratapaditya, The Great Tradition: Indian Bronze Masterpieces, 1988, fig. 8 p. 94
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 2: Art from the Himalayas & China, 2003, Fig. 6, no. 3 pp. 15, 34-35
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 763 p. 336
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