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Stupa

mid-15th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 253
The stupa (Tibetan: chorten) is the most ancient form of Buddhist art, symbolizing the monumental funerary mounds of ancient India that were appropriated into Buddhism as depositories for Buddha relics. Over time they assumed many forms, including scaled-down versions in metal, which serve the same function of housing holy relics, but whose higher purpose in a Buddhist monastery is to evoke the presence of the Buddha and his teachings.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Stupa
  • Date: mid-15th century
  • Culture: Tibet
  • Medium: Brass
  • Dimensions: H. 20 in. (50.8 cm); W. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm); Diam. 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Zimmerman Family Collection, Gift of the Zimmerman Family, 2016
  • Object Number: 2016.21.2
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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