Standing Buddha

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Such Buddha images were found in great numbers in the public sacred precincts of Gandhara. The Buddha’s right hand, now damaged, would have been held in abhaya mudra, a gesture of approachability. He wears the robes of a monk, but his urna (the dot on his forehead) and his extended earlobes denote his status as the Buddha. On the base of the sculpture is a seated figure of Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, who is being venerated by a man and woman who are likely the donors of this image.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art