China

Title

Buddhist stele

Other titles:

Rectangular votive steel carved on all four sides with the figures of Buddha, Maitreya, Bodhisattvas, spirit kings and donors
Votive stele

Place of origin

China

Period

Northern Wei 386 - 535 → Northern dynasties 420 - 589 → China

Year

circa 0525-0530

Media category

Sculpture

Materials used

carved sandstone

Dimensions

143.8 x 53.3 x 19.5cm

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Purchased with assistance from the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales and the Edward and Goldie Sternberg Chinese Art Purchase Fund 1995

Accession number

202.1995

Location

Upper Asian gallery

Further information

The front side of this stele is carved with a principal image of Shakyamuni Buddha seated in a niche, while the reverse features a principal image of the Future Buddha, Maitreya, sitting cross-legged. The Shakyamuni Buddha sits beneath a flame-ornamented canopy and is flanked by a pair of Bodhisattvas: those most human of beings in the vast pantheon of Buddhist deities who, having achieved Buddhahood, elect to remain on earth out of compassion. The figure of Maitreya sits beneath an ornately decorated canopy and is also flanked by a pair of small Bodhisattva images. Above both the principal images the stele is carved with miniature Buddhas. A dedicatory inscription on the upper right bears the now partially damaged reign date, which reads: 'chang yuan nian...'. The absence of the first character precludes a precise date, but indicates either 512, 525 or 532. Further inscriptions on all sides of the stele give the names of donors who contributed to its construction as an act of Buddhist devotion.

Art Gallery Handbook, 1999. pg.249.

Bibliography (9)

Edmund Capon, Look Apr 1997, 'The Arts of Asia', pg. 24, Victoria, Apr 1997, 24 (colour illus.).

Joanna Capon, Art and Australia (Vol. 41, No. 4) Jun 2004-Aug 2004, 'Goldie Sternberg. Benefactor', pg. 618-620, Paddington, Jun 2004-Aug 2004, 618, 619 (colour illus.), 620.

Jonathan Cooper (Editor), The Art Gallery of New South Wales Bulletin Apr 1995-May 1995, 'Exhibitions', pg. 10-17, Domain, Apr 1995-May 1995, 14 (colour illus.).

Eskenazi Ltd Oriental Art, Early Chinese art from tombs and temples Jun 1993, London, Jun 1993.

Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Asian Collection: East Asia', pg. 246-287, Domain, 1999, 248 (colour illus.).

Jackie Menzies (Editor), Buddha: Radiant awakening, Sydney, 2001, 162 (colour illus.), 188. cat.no. 119

Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales 2003, China 'Buddhist Art', Domain, 2003, 92 (colour illus.), 92 (colour illus., reverse).

Jackie Menzies, Look: 1953-2003 celebrating 50 years May 2003, 'Asian Treasures', pg. 57-59, Newtown, May 2003, 58 (colour illus.).

LIU Yang, Orientations Sep 2000, 'The Discovery of Mass: A Footnote to the Stylistic and Iconographic Innovation in Chinese Buddhist Sculpture', pg. 88-95, Hong Kong, Sep 2000, 88 (colour illus.), 89 (colour illus.). fig.1, 1a (reverse), 1b (right side)

Exhibition history (1)

Buddha: Radiant awakening, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 10 Nov 2001–24 Feb 2002