Buddha Shakyamuni
Datelate 8th to early 9th century
Maker
Indian
Label TextIn dharmachakra mudra, both hands form circles with the thumb and forefinger and then link together. The gesture represents setting in motion the turning of the wheel of dharma, translatable in this context as the Buddhist teachings or cosmic law. It also references Buddha Shakyamuni’s first sermon at Sarnath in eastern India. This gesture came to signify the moment that Buddha first preached and the passing on of spiritual teaching in general.
Object number74.70
Photo CreditPhoto: Susan A. Cole
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Indian Buddhist Sculpture, Feb. 3 - Aug. 20, 1990.
Tokyo, Japan, Suntory Museum of Art, Luminous Jewels: Masterpieces of Asian Art From the Seattle Art Museum, July 25 - Sept. 6, 2009 (Kobe, Japan, Kobe City Museum, Sept. 19 - Dec. 6, 2009; Kofu, Japan, Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, Dec. 23, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010; Atami, Japan, MOA Museum of Art, Mar. 13 - May 9, 2010; Fukuoka, Japan, Fukuoka Art Museum, May 23 - July 19, 2010).
Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Luminous: The Art of Asia, Oct. 13, 2011 - Jan. 8, 2012.
Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing.Published ReferencesKawai, Masatomo, Yasuhiro Nishioka, Yukiko Sirahara, editors, "Luminous Jewels: Masterpieces of Asian Art From the Seattle Art Museum", 2009, The Yomiuri Shimbun, catalogue number 97.
Foong, Ping, Xiaojin Wu, and Darielle Mason. "An Asian Art Museum Transformed." Orientations vol. 51, no. 3 (May/June 2020): pp. 58-59, reproduced figs. 18 (installation view), 19.Credit LineFloyd A. Naramore Memorial Purchase Fund
DimensionsHeight: 15 3/16 in. (38.6cm)
MediumCopper alloy with silver and copper
Object number: 81.17.716
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