Tara

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This goddess sits with crossed legs on a double lotus throne and holds her hands a gesture of adoration anjali mudra) but twisted; as this unique hand posture is clear and well executed, we must assume that it has a specific meaning, now lost. She wears her hair in a fanlike coiffure and has large ear ornaments, a Gupta-style legacy perpetuated in the northwest. .

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