Bodhisattva 

This statue portrays a merciful Buddhist god who saves people from suffering. It dates to the 1200s, a period when artisans were employing new techniques to give statues a sense of life and presence. The eyes and lips are inlaid with quartz crystal. The body is coated with gold powder, producing a gentle glow that represents enlightenment.

Cultural property designation

Important Cultural Property

Quantity

Artist

Period/Century

Kamakura period, 13th century

Country/Origin

Excavation site

Material

Wood with gold and other pigment, cut gold leaf, and inlaid crystal eyes and lips

Size

106.3 101.4 34.8

Inscriptions

Donor

Collection reference no.

C-20

Genre

Sculpture

Category

Sculpture > Buddhist sculpture > Bodhisattvas