Museum visit reflection

Songlin Yuan

This is week I visited The Rubin Museum on Himalayan Art and the exhibition was called “Power Objects”. There were a lot of historical objects about the religious of the Himalayas. The object I found interesting was called “ Crowned Buddha” on third floor of the museum. This sculpture was from Pala period of Northeastern India. This Crowned Buddha’s shape was from the images of the Buddha located around Bodhgaya where was the place of Buddha’s enlightenment.

This sculpture of  “Crowned Buddha”  has two characters. The figure in the middle was twice as bigger than the character in the bottom left side which shows the bigger figure was Buddha. because the sculpture was damaged but the bottom right side of the sculpture should have another character. The mirrored composition was used in this object by showing the temples and characters in symmetry way. The Buddha is wearing a crown and bejeweled which is proving the shape and style of the sculpture was from the early Tibetan painting. Buddha was standing on a lotus which is the symbolic of purity of the body and mind. The lotus was growing out from mud but when it’s flower is clean without any mud or dirt on it. The background of temples and  The lines of the sculpture was natural and softly curved without any shape angles. The shape and the lines of the body was natural but Buddha was standing in a rigid pose. The legs were standing together straight and it’s facing forward. The cloth of Buddha was sticking withe the body of Buddha without any curves or wrinkles. The eyes of the Buddha was slightly looking down which might means the object was supposed to be put on a higher position for people to look at. The light behind buddha’s head was decorated with details.

This sculpture of Buddha is well made in composition and the soft lines is showing the kindness of Buddha but the huge size comparing to the other figure also shows the power and wealth of Buddha.