The Birth of the Buddha

The Birth of the Buddha

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

At lower right Maya reaches up to grasp the branches of a tree and the Buddha emerges from her side. At lower left, the gods Indra and the four-headed Brahma receive the child. The Buddha appears a second time, standing atop a stack of jeweled lotus flowers, marking the miraculous event of his first steps and bath. Such mosaic panels were placed in personal shrines and temples. The density of precious stones in this composition is astonishing and speaks to the widespread practice of donating jewelry at sacred centers. This example is one of the most elaborate of its type to survive.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.