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Birth of the Buddha Shakyamuni

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The rectangular stone carving, likely made of dark grey-brown stone, depicts a scene from the life of Birth of the Buddha Shakyamuni. The carving shows five figures in total. The central figure is larger than the others and appears to be a woman standing in the center. She wears a long dress with folds and appears to have an elaborate headdress. Her right hand is raised to her chest and her left hand is on her hip. The two figures on either side are smaller and face the central figure. The figure on the far left appears to wear a crown. The women on the right wears a long dress and holds a child in her left arm. The background of the carving features foliage and tree branches above the figures. The stone has a rough texture and shows signs of weathering and aging.

Artwork Details

Date
ca. 2nd century
Medium
Stone
Culture
Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
Dimensions
600 × 600 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette