Buddha Offering Protection

Buddha Offering Protection

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Buddha raises his right hand in abhaya mudra, extending compassionate protection to devotees. Ivory was a favored material for Buddhist imagery in Sri Lanka.

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.