Minneapolis Institute of Art

Udhyana Buddha

China

Date

14th century

Medium

Gilt bronze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This small bronze statue demonstrates how images and styles spread throughout the Buddhist world. The depiction is said to be based on a sandalwood sculpture commissioned by King Udhyana in India during the lifetime of the historical Buddha (c. 400s BCE). A copy was brought to China in 405 CE and later transferred to the Da Shang Shou An Si temple in Beijing in 1289 CE. The casting of this miniature bronze shows Nepalese influence, a result of the Yuan dynasty emperor, Kublai Khan (r. 1260–94), who was a devout practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism). At his court, Khan kept Tibetan advisors, tutors, and 24 Nepalese artisans, led by Aniko, a master artist from the Kathmandu Valley. Asia

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