Seated Crowned and Jeweled Buddha

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Although similar in style to the famous hoard of Pala bronzes found at Kurkihar (in the state of Bihar), this sculpture was found in northeastern Thailand. That it had arrived there by the first half of the twelfth century can be determined by its halo, which is a Thai replacement that may date from as early as the eleventh century. Images of crowned and jeweled Buddhas became popular in both Thailand and Cambodia during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. They were probably based on Pala sculptures like this one.

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