Cleveland Museum of Art

Amitabha Triad

Date

1400s

Medium

bronze with traces of gilding

Culture

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

Department

Korean Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This bronze triad depicts Amitabha, the Buddha of Western Paradise, at the center, flanked by two bodhisattvas: Ksitigarbha on his left and Avalokiteśvara on his right. Ksitigarbha is believed to rescue those tormented beings from purgatory, while Avalokiteśvara offers relief to those suffering in the mortal realm. An exceptionally rare statue from the 1400s, this piece entered the CMA’s collection in 1918. It was discovered in Korea in 1916 by Langdon Warner (1881–1955), who was serving as the CMA’s field agent. In a letter dated December 4, 1916, Warner expressed not only his excitement upon finding the triad in a local pawn shop but also his satisfaction at purchasing it at a significantly reduced price. The small scale suggests that this rare bronze triad might have been displayed in a personal shrine rather than a large worship hall.

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