Seated Tara, the Buddhist Savior

Seated Tara, the Buddhist Savior

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tara offers boons with her right hand (varada mudra) and holds her left in a gesture of teaching (vitarka mudra). The image is remarkable for its elaborate gold and silver inlays, infusing life into the elaborate garments. Clearly, the patron’s concern was to donate an exquisite image rather than one of larger scale. The figure reflects the earlier north Indian Pala style of the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Seated Tara, the Buddhist SaviorSeated Tara, the Buddhist SaviorSeated Tara, the Buddhist SaviorSeated Tara, the Buddhist SaviorSeated Tara, the Buddhist Savior

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.