Attendant Bodhisattva

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This sculpture of an attendant bodhisattva was most likely part of a colossal triptych showing a Buddha flanked by two such figures. It is made of willow, a material that was often used in the north for the construction of Buddhist sculpture, and was once brightly painted. The body’s sense of volume, the careful rendering of the braids that fall along the shoulders, and the scarf tied at the chest are typical features of Buddhist statuary dating from the tenth and eleventh centuries.

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