Buddha Preaching

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This sculpture is a refined, elegant expression of the Mon aesthetic during the late phase of Buddhist art associated with the Dvaravati kingdom. It is not clear if that political entity was still viable during this period, but the distinct aesthetic created by its sculptors in the preceding two centuries still prevailed. The raised right hand gestures in teaching, the lowered hand grants boons. The image was cast from a silver alloy with a significant copper content and would have displayed a lustrous silver surface in its original state. cat. no. 120

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