Bodhisattva, possibly Maitreya

Bodhisattva, possibly Maitreya

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This image of a standing male is difficult to identify securely, but the raised hand gesturing in exposition and the lowered hand granting boons suggests he is a Buddhist savior. He may represent Maitreya, the messianic Buddha of the Future; the headdress is perhaps intended to evoke a stupa, his identifier. cat. no. 143

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bodhisattva, possibly MaitreyaBodhisattva, possibly MaitreyaBodhisattva, possibly MaitreyaBodhisattva, possibly MaitreyaBodhisattva, possibly Maitreya

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.