Statue

Object Number:	C355.1
Current Location:	Collections Storage
Culture:	Chinese Buddhist
Provenience:	China Henan
Period:	Eastern Wei Dynasty Tianping
Date Made:	536 CE
Early Date:	536
Late Date:	536
Section:	Asian
Materials:	Bronze Gilt
Technique:	Gilded
Iconography:	Maitreya
Inscription Language:	Chinese Language
Height:	61 cm
Credit Line:	Purchased from C. T. Loo; Subscription of James B. Ford, 1918
Other Number:	SL2914-3 - Other Number C355 - Other Number

Description

Gilt-bronze statuette of Maitreya. The statue is in typical Northern Wei style, standing with flowing robes and hands adopting the gestures (mudrās) 'fear-not' and 'charity offering'. A fiery aureole with a lotus halo is attached at the back of the figure with a pair of pins. The figure stands on a domed lotus, above a four-legged square base. On two sides of the base is an incised inscription recording the date (equivalent to April 9th, 536 CE) and location of manufacture (in Dingzhou 定州, in modern Henan), together with a list of subscribers.

The item was once in the collection of the late Qing statesman Duanfang 端方.

Current & Past Exhibitions:

Chinese Halls (1941 - 1966)	View Objects in Exhibition
Japan Gallery (21 Oct 2012 - 2018)	View Objects in Exhibition
Buddhism: History and Diversity of a Great Tradition (12 Dec 1985 - 21 Oct 2012)	View Objects in Exhibition

Bibliography:

[Article] Steinhardt, Nancy S. 2008. "The Chinese Rotunda". Arts of Asia. Kowloon. Arts of Asia Publications, Ltd. Vol. 38. no. 5. pg. 83-95 Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 88, Fig. 20	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Article] Wong, Dorothy C. 2001. "Maitreya Buddha Statues at the University of Pennsylvania Museum". Orientations (Hong Kong). Hong Kong. Orientations Magazine Ltd. Vol. 32. no. 2. pg. 24-31 Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: 29	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Book] Lawton, Thomas. 1991. A Time of Transition: Two Collectors of Chinese Art.. Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 24, Fig. 18	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Book] Horne, Lee C. 1985. Introduction to the Collections of The University Museum.. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: 59	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Catalogue] Possehl, Gregory L., and Ch'eng-mei, Chang, and Peters, Heather A., and Lyons, Elizabeth. 1985. Buddhism: History and Diversity of a Great Tradition.. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: 54	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Catalogue] Juliano, Annette L. 1975. Art of the Six Dynasties: Centuries of Change and Innovation.. New York. China House Gallery. pg. 91 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. Actual Citation	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Catalogue] Asia House Gallery. 1970. Masterpieces of Asian Art in American Collections II: An Offering of Treasures Celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of Asia House Gallery.. New York. New York Graphic Society. pg. 150 p. illus., plates (part col.) 29 cm. Actual Citation	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Book] Yang, Chia-lo. I-shu ts'ung-pien.. Vol. 23. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: last plate.	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Catalogue] Rowland, Benjamin. 1963. The Evolution of the Buddha Image.. New York. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. pg. 146 p. illus. 25 cm. Actual Citation	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Article] Jayne, Horace H. 1941. "The Chinese Collections of The University Museum: A Handbook of the Principal Objects". The University Museum Bulletin. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. 9. no. 2-3. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 41, Fig. 34	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Article] Jayne, Horace H. 01 Jan 1939. "Chinese Art at the University Museum". Parnassus. Vol. 11. no. 1. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: 7-11	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Book] 1939. Pacific cultures, Department of Fine Arts, Division of Pacific Cultures.. San Francisco. Golden Gate International Exposition. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: pl. G, no. 63.	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Catalogue] 1938. Chinese bronzes of the Shang (1766-1122 B.C.) through the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-906) : an exhibition lent by American collectors and museums and shown in gallery D6 from October 19 through November 27.. New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: no. 266	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Article] Jayne, Horace H. 1935. "The Museum's Loan to Burlington House ( for International Exhibition of Chinese Art held in London 1935-36)". The University Museum Bulletin. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. 6. no. 1. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: 17-21, pl.6	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Catalogue] Royal Academy of Arts. 1935. Catalogue of the International Exhibition of Chinese Art.. London. Royal Academy of Arts. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 58, No. 793, Pg. 74, 793 (illustration)	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Thesis] Wegner, Max. 1930. Ikonographie des chinesischen Maitreya.. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: 216-229	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Book] Siren, Osvald. 1925. Chinese sculpture from the fifth to the fourteenth century; over 900 specimens in stone, bronze, lacquer and wood, principally from northern China.. London. E. Benn, Ltd. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Plate 158	View Objects related to this Actual Citation
[Article] Bishop, Carl W. 1918. "Recent Accessions of Chinese Sculpture". The Museum Journal. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. IX. no. No. 2. pg. 123-147. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: 123-147, fig. 42	View Objects related to this Actual Citation