明弘治 三彩佛涅磐組像|Par nirvana (death and transcendence of the Buddha) and attendant arhats

Qiao Bin

dated 1503 · Earthenware with polychrome glaze · Asian Art

This is a depiction of the Buddha’s nirvana. His attendants are all in deep sorrow: one wipes away a tear, while others seem to be crying out or, alternatively, at a loss for words. The Buddha, however, is shown in a state of near sleep, indicating a heavenly wisdom. According to the inscription on the back and sides of the couch on which the Buddha reclines, a monk had these sculptures made in 1503 as a private act of devotion. They were originally part of a larger group of figures from the Qiao family workshop in Yangcheng, Shanxi Province.

Artist

Qiao Bin

Date

dated 1503

Medium

Earthenware with polychrome glaze

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1925