How to look at Buddhist sculpture

Anthropomorphic images of the Buddha, the enlightened being who lived and taught in South Asia sometime between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, originated in North India and present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan in the 1st century CE. Over the following centuries, sculptural representation of Buddha and the late pantheon of Buddhist deities became an important artistic tradition in nearly every culture between Afghanistan and Japan.

Today, Buddhism is the fourth largest global religion with over 500 million practitioners across the globe. Although many enthusiasts, scholars and collectors of Buddhist sculpture are drawn to the religion, others appreciate the rich history of more than 2,000 years of Buddhist teachings and art.

Buddhist sculpture encapsulates diverse traditions across millennia and throughout the world. As a result, the range of sculptures and statuary to explore is wide. For those looking to identify and study the finest examples, let these expert tips be your guide.

Not surprisingly, given the far reach of his teachings, the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and other Buddhist deities have been interpreted widely, in many different styles and materials.

To begin to be able to distinguish between cultures, styles and historical periods, one should view as many examples of Buddhist sculpture as possible. Visits to institutions such as Asia Society in New York, the Norton Simon Museum in California and the Cleveland Museum of Art provide in-depth insight across categories.

Great reference books are also a necessity. Two definitive volumes are Ulrich von Schroeder’s Indo-Tibetan Bronzes and Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, which are carefully organised by type. These beautifully bound reference books are available online at Visual Dharma Publications, and even appear at auction from time to time.

Another excellent source is Himalayan Art Resources — a website run by Jeff Watt, a leading scholar of Himalayan art — which catalogues tens of thousands of images and serves as an excellent starting point for research.

For over 2,000 years, artisans have used stone, stucco, terracotta, wood, lacquer and metals such as bronze, gold and silver to recreate Buddhist deities.

Because certain materials were favoured in particular countries, identifying the medium can help anchor where and when a work was made. For example, the ancient region of Gandhara in Afghanistan and Pakistan favoured the sculptural quality of stucco, whereas the medieval Nepalese were amongst the finest bronze casters in the world.

Today, some of the most revered Buddhist sculptures are gilt bronzes with certain time periods of particular importance, including: early Ming dynasty sculptures from the reign of the Yongle and Xuande Emperors, the gilt-bronzes of 15th-century Tibet, Licchavi and Malla period Nepalese sculpture and objects from the early Qing dynasty are particularly admired across the globe.

When considering adding a time-honoured piece to your collection, it is important to remember that, given their age, many Buddhist sculptures have undergone some form of restoration. Always consult a specialist to learn more about restorative work. Different materials have varying levels of durability. Bronze and stone are the hardiest, while stucco, terracotta and lacquer can be difficult to preserve.

Spending time with Buddhist sculpture can reveal many important details not only the subject, but also its maker. Buddhist art is rich in meaning with many symbols and iconographies used to represent Buddha’s dharma (teachings) to guide practitioners on their path to enlightenment. Meaning can be found throughout a Buddhist sculpture, such as in the figures physical features, postures (asanas), hand positions (mudras) and objects and symbols accompanying the figure.

Artisans meticulously attended to each detail of their sculptures with careful attention to all aspects. As a result, every side, angle and feature of an authentic Buddhist sculpture is exquisitely executed.

When forgers make replicas or copies of a sculpture, they generally do so using the aid of published references, which typically only show the front of the object. The forgers recreate these back and bottom from their imaginations, often resulting in inauthentic or disjointed design components. For example, the drapery of a Buddha’s robe might fold strangely, or the jewellery of a bodhisattva won’t sit properly. Sometimes, the back of a sculpture looks less complete than the front. For an artisan producing an original, every aspect of the work is equally important.

Notice the hands, feet, jewellery and drapery of a sculpture, as those are the hardest features to model. If any of these seem poorly rendered, it’s a sign that, at the very least, the work is not of very high quality.

Most of the artists who created Buddhist sculptures were anonymous. On certain occasions, however, sculptures are marked with inscriptions that indicate they were made during the reign of a certain emperor or in the lifetime of a Tibetan lama (teacher). These works are particularly revered.

Inscriptions can provide additional historical context and insight into the lives of those who worshipped the figure. Look out for inscriptions that state the object belonged to the collection of Naga Raja, a 10th-11th century Western Tibetan noble-born monk. He amassed an impressive number of Buddhist sculptures dated from the 8th to the 11th centuries. These represent the earliest recorded collecting history in the field, and many are in museums today.

As with all great art, the scholarship and market trends for Buddhist sculptures can fluctuate, with different periods or styles rising in popularity. But exemplary pieces are timeless.

The level of quality in Buddhist sculpture is based on a number of factors, including the stylistic modelling of the figure, the rarity of the subject and the skill of the artist. When considering a price point at which to buy, collectors should always seek the highest quality work they can afford.