Plaque with Standing Buddha

Plaque with Standing Buddha

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This Buddha holds his right hand in a teaching gesture (vitarkamudra) and stands under a tree that alludes to Bodhgaya, the place of his enlightenment. Such gold plaques were sometimes buried as a foundation deposit prior to the construction of a temple.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.