Statue of Buddha at Birth
This figurine represents the newborn Shaka. Immediately after his birth he took seven steps and looked to the four corners of the earth. Then, raising two fingers of his right hand toward heaven and his left hand toward earth, he pronounced "I alone am Prince of that above and below the heavens." A newborn-Buddha statuette is bathed at the annual ceremony celebrating the birth of Buddha on the eight day of April.
Artwork Details
- Title: Statue of Buddha at Birth
- Period: Nara period (710–794)
- Date: 7th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Gilt bronze, lacquer base with mother-of-pearl
- Dimensions: H. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm)
Overall H. 9 1/8 in. (23.2 cm) - Classification: Sculpture
- Credit Line: Purchase, Rogers and Seymour Funds and The J. M. Kaplan Fund Inc. and Rafi Y. Mottahedeh Gift, 1968
- Object Number: 68.90a, b
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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ca. 7th century
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dated 524 (5th year of Zhengguang reign)
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10th century
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8th–9th century
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