NARRATOR:
When this bronze sculpture was made in the 11th century, Buddhism was disappearing in southern India. But a few vital centers remained, including the port town of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. It was an important center for Buddhist learning visited by monks from all over the subcontinent, as well as Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. The distinctive flame atop the Buddha’s cranial bump may represent the wisdom said to emerge as a ray when he is meditating.
The Buddha wears no jewelry, but his pendulous, pierced ears remind the viewer of the gold and jewels he renounced when he left his father’s palace to seek enlightenment. His palms bear wheels, symbols of his teaching and superhuman nature. He holds one palm up in the gesture of fearlessness, the other down to show charity.
You’ll find the erect, frontal pose and the clinging robe falling stiffly at the sides in Buddhas throughout the collection. However, the face is typically Chola, as are the delicacy of the facial features, hands and feet. The hem of his robe zigzags energetically, contributing an element of restless vitality seldom found in earlier Buddhas.
Buddha Shakyamuni
late 11th century
Asia: India, Tamil Nadu, Nagappattinam
On View
Although the rulers of the Chola dynasty were primarily practitioners of the Hindu faith, Buddhism and Jainism were also practiced within their kingdom. This sculpture of Buddha Shakyamuni testifies to the religion’s presence in the region. The sculpture comes from the town of Nagapattinam, known as a center for Buddhism and an important site for the artistic production of Buddhist imagery during the Chola reign.
Details
- Title: Buddha Shakyamuni
- Date: late 11th century
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: overall: 29-3/4 x 10 x 10 in. (75.6 x 25.4 x 25.4 cm)
- Credit Line: The Norton Simon Foundation
- Accession Number: F.1972.31.2.S
- Copyright: © The Norton Simon Foundation
Object Information
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Marg, fig. 14 pp. 61, 66
- Sotheby's,
- Salmony, Alfred, Asiatische Kunst: Austellung Köln 1926, 1929, pp. 27-28, 22
- Pal, Pratapaditya, American Collectors of Asian Art, 1986, fig. 14 pp. 125, 130
- Pal, Pratapaditya, A Pot-pourri of Indian Art, 1988, p. 130
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 1: Art from the Indian Subcontinent, 2003, no. 183 pp. 257-258
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 834 p. 343
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