Seated bodhisattva (left attendant of a triad)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This elegant figure represents a bodhisattva—a compassionate, enlightened being who has chosen to remain on earth to help mortals attain enlightenment. This statue was originally one of two attendant bodhisattvas that flanked a Shakyamuni or Amitabha Buddha. The tall, ornate crown, oblong face, and drapery with cascading folds indicate that the statue was likely produced by an esteemed school of Buddhist monksculptors led by Ingyun (active 1615–63) for a temple in the South Jeolla Province, an important Buddhist power base at the time.

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