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Green Tara, Seated in Pose of Royal Ease (Lalitasana), with Lotus Stalks on Right Shoulder and Hands in Gestures of Reasoning (Vitarkamudra) and Gift Conferring (Varadamudra)

A work made of gilt copper alloy with traces of pigment (lapis lazuli).
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of gilt copper alloy with traces of pigment (lapis lazuli).

Date:

Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Yongle reign mark and period (1403–24)

Artist:

China

About this artwork

China’s pantheon of Buddhist deities, with their accompanying rituals and artistic styles, burgeoned following its conquest by the Mongols and its absorption into the pan-Asian, multiethnic Yuan empire (1279 1368). From then on, many Chinese rulers and members of elite society, of both native and foreign heritage, became fervent devotees of Tibetan Buddhism. This faith is also known as Vajrayana (Diamond Path) Buddhism or, for its esoteric teachings derived largely from Hinduism, Tantric Buddhism. Buddhist images made in China but influenced by Tibetan (as well as Nepalese) iconography and style are termed Sino-Tibetan.

This image depicts one of many emanations of the compassionate god Tara. An inscription on the top surface of its throne reads “Da Ming Yongle nian zhi” (Bestowed in the Yongle reign of the Great Ming). The Yongle emperor was the third ruler of the Ming dynasty and a great patron of Buddhist art.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Asia

Artist

Sino Tibetan

Title

Green Tara, Seated in Pose of Royal Ease (Lalitasana), with Lotus Stalks on Right Shoulder and Hands in Gestures of Reasoning (Vitarkamudra) and Gift Conferring (Varadamudra)

Place

China (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1403–1424

Medium

Gilt copper alloy with traces of pigment (lapis lazuli)

Dimensions

21.5 × 13.5 × 12.5 cm (8 1/2 × 5 1/4 × 4 7/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Guy H. Mitchell

Reference Number

1925.378

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/15722/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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