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Exhibition
Tree & Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India, 200 BCE–400 CE
July 21–November 13, 2023
Previously on view at
The Met Fifth Avenue
in
Gallery 999
Free with Museum admission
All exhibitions
Overview
Visiting Guide
Exhibition Objects
Stupa drum panel with protective serpent
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
second half 1st century CE
Copy of ceiling paintings, Ajanta Cave 2
John Griffiths
1874–75 CE
Railing pillar with naga Mucalinda protecting the Buddha
India, Pauni, Bhandara district, Maharashtra
2nd–1st century BC
Railing coping
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing coping with forest dwellers scaling or quarrying a rock face
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing coping fragment with lotus bloom meander
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna District, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Fragment of a railing coping with an unidentified jataka
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing pillar with yaksha on makara
India, Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh
ca. 2nd century BCE
Railing pillar with naga Mucalinda protecting the buddhapada
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing pillar fragment: yaksha with lotus vine emerging from its mouth
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing pillar fragment: flowering vase of plenty
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing pillar medallion: tree shrine marking Konāgamana Buddha's awakening
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing pillar medallion with Mugapakkha-jataka
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Pillar capital in the form of a winged lion
India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
1st–early 2nd century CE
Goddess of abundance, Sri Lakshmi
India, Jamalpur, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
2nd century CE
Balarama
India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
2nd–3rd century CE
Toy in the form of a makara
India, Uttar Pradesh, probably Kaushambi
2nd–1st century BCE
Goddess who bestows riches, probably Sri Lakshmi
India, Chandraketugarh, West Bengal
1st century BCE
Yaksha abducting a woman
India, Gangetic region, probably Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh
1st century BCE
Karttikeya-Skanda
India, Gangetic region, north India
ca. 1st century BCE
Railing pillar with scenes of the Great Departure
Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Tree spirit (yakshi salabhanjika)
India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
2nd century CE
Railing pillar with yakshi and mithuna couple
India, Bharhut, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Railing pillar with lotus medallions and Jataka scenes
India, Mahabodhi temple, Bodhgaya, Bihar
late 1st century BCE
Fragment of a railing coping: a stupa protected with handprints
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Patravahaka yaksha
India, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 50 BCE
Yakshi
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
mid-2nd century BCE
Gateway architrave with makara
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Relics from the Piprahwa stupa
India, Piprahwa Great Stupa, Siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh
ca. 240–200 BCE
Reliquary
India, Sonari Stupa 2, Vidisha region, Madhya Pradesh
1st century BCE
Reliquary
India, Sonari Stupa 2, Vidisha region, Madhya Pradesh
1st century BCE
Reliquary in the shape of a stupa
Sri Lanka, central or western regions
3rd–4th century CE
Reliquary in the shape of a stupa
Sri Lanka, central or western regions
3rd–4th century CE
Reliquary in the shape of a stupa
Sri Lanka, central or western regions
3rd–4th century CE
Model of a stupa
Cooper Union
2023
Fragment from a railing crossbar: nobleman riding an elephant
India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
1st century BCE
Dharma-wheel pilaster (dharmacakrastambha)
Andhra Pradesh, possibly Ghantasala, Krishna district
ca. early 3rd century CE
Railing pillar medallion: veneration of the Dharma-wheel (dharmacakra)
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Ayaka panel with depiction of an Andhra stupa
India, Dhulikatta Great Stupa, Karimnagar district, Telangana
1st century BCE
Dharmachakra
India, Chausa, Shahabad district, Bihar
ca. 200 CE
Buddha footprints (buddhapada)
India, Phanigiri, Suryapet district, Telangana
late 3rd–4th century CE
Elephant Carrying Relics
India (Bharhut)
2nd century AD
Panel with devotees honoring the Dharma-wheel and nagas protecting the relics at Ramagrama stupa
India, Dhulikata, Karimnagar District, Telangana
1st century BCE
Pillar abacus: elephants venerating the Rāmagrāma stupa
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
late 1st century CE
Drum panel with veneration of the buddhapada and empty throne
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
ca. 100 BCE
Stupa drum slab honoring the Buddha as a flaming pillar
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
3rd century CE
Drum panel with veneration of relics
India, Dupadu Great Stupa, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh
ca. 1st century CE
Drum panel with stupa veneration and seminal Buddha-life events
India, Dupadu Great Stupa, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh
ca. 1st century CE
Chair leg
North or Northwest India
ca. 4th century CE
Chair leg
North or Northwest India
ca. 4th century CE
Dome cornice with garland bearers
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
2nd century CE
Figurine of a yakshi or courtesan
India, Western Deccan, probably Bhokardan, Maharashtra
1st century CE (before 79 CE)
Poseidon (after Lysippos)
Rome
1st century CE
Handle of a jug (situla)
Rome
1st century CE
Emblema depicting Perseus and Andromeda
Rome
1st century CE
Metal ring with rearing griffin, bull, lion, and human-headed creature
India, Brahmapuri, Kolhapur, Satara District, Maharashtra
ca. 2nd century CE
Elephant with four riders
India, Kundangar, Kolhapur, Satara District, Maharashtra
ca. 2nd century CE
Model bullock cart
India, Kundangar, Kolhapur, Satara District, Maharashtra
ca. 2nd century CE
Six auspicious emblems (mangalas)
India, Kundangar, Kolhapur, Satara District, Maharashtra
ca. 2nd century CE
Ritual water vessel
India, Kundangar, Kolhapur, Satara District, Maharashtra
ca. 2nd century CE
One of a pair of medallions with portrait busts
India, probably Maharashtra
ca. 1st century CE
One of a pair of medallions with portrait busts
India, probably Maharashtra
ca. 1st century CE
Musée Guimet Decouvertes Archéologiques en Afghanistan et Indochine
Jean Buhot
1938
Fragment of a railing coping: a winged griffin and youthful combatant
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
2nd–1st century BC
Fragment of a lion capital
India, Masarh, Shahabad district, Bihar
4th–3rd century BCE
Vessel terminating in the forepart of a fantastic leonine creature
Achaemenid
ca. 5th century BCE
Yaksha Padmanidhi, the wealth guardian with a lotus crown
India, Nagarjunakonda, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
3rd–4th century CE
Naga attendant holding a fly whisk
India, probably Goli, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
ca. 3rd century CE
Head of a Yaksha
India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
1st century BCE
Mold depicting a charioteer and archer
India, Pataliputra, Bihar
ca. 200 BCE
Bull figurine
India, Kondapur, Medak district, Telangana
1st–2nd century CE
Lion figurine
India, Kondapur, Medak district, Telangana
1st–2nd century CE
Ring-stone with palmettes and palms
Northern India
3rd–late 2nd century BCE
Ring-stone with goddesses and turtles
Northern India
3rd–late 2nd century BCE
Ring stone with goddesses and aquatic plants
Northern India
3rd–late 2nd century BCE
Female figurine
India, Patna, Bihar
3rd–2nd century BCE
Female figurine
India, Patna, Bihar
3rd–2nd century BCE
Stone disc
Northern India
ca. 3rd–late 2nd century BCE
Stone disc with frieze of animals
Northern India
ca. 3rd–late 2nd century BCE
Disc stone
Northern India
ca. 3rd–late 2nd century BCE
Disc stone
Northern India
ca. 3rd–late 2nd century BCE
Standing male figure
India, Patna, Bihar
3rd–2nd century BCE
Fragment from a railing pillar with face of a yakshi
India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
ca. 150–100 BCE
Portrait of a donor (?)
India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
3rd–2nd century BCE
Portrait of a donor (?)
India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
2nd–1st century BCE
One from a Pair of Ear Ornaments (Prakaravapra Kundala)
India, Andhra Pradesh
ca. 1st century BCE–1st century CE
One from a Pair of Ear Ornaments (Prakaravapra Kundala)
India, Andhra Pradesh
ca. 1st century BCE–1st century CE
Head of yaksha
India, Sanchi Stupa 1, Bhopal district, Madhya Pradesh
early 1st century CE
Interior view of Karle rock-cut caitya hall, Western Ghats, Lonavala, Maharashtra
W. A. Fulton
1853
Drawings of the gateways at Sanchi
Frederick Charles Maisey
1849–50 and 1850–51
Dome panel depicting a royal worshipper
India, Amaravati Great Stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
second half 1st century CE
Celebrants venerating the empty throne
India, Chandavaram Stupa 1, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh
late 1st–early 2nd century CE
Drum panel with scenes of the Great Departure and Temptation of the Buddha
India, Nagarjunakonda, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
first half 3rd century CE
Veneration of the flaming pillar
India, Nagarjunakonda, possibly Stupa Site 6, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
late 3rd century CE
Dome panel with scene of transporting Prince Siddartha's headdress to heaven
India, Nagarjunakonda, attributed to Stupa Site 3, Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh
late 3rd century CE
Stupa drum panel with naga protected Buddha
India, Nagarjunakonda, Gunter District, Andhra Pradesh
late 3rd century CE
Head of a man, probably a yaksha
India, Phanigiri, Suryapet district, Telangana
late 3rd–4th century CE
Torana terminal with makara, lion, and rider
India, reportedly Kesanapalli, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
3rd century CE
Platform panel (ayaka) or courtyard enclosure
India, Phanigiri, Suryapet district, Telangana
3rd–4th century CE
Drum slab with five Buddha life narratives
India, Nagarjunakonda, Gunter District, Andhra Pradesh
3rd century CE
Scene from the Mandhata-avadana
India, probably Guntur-Krishna districts, Andhra Pradesh
2nd–3rd century CE
Ayaka cornice with three narrative scenes
India, Nagarjunakonda, Gunter District, Andhra Pradesh
3rd century CE
Drum panel depicting a stupa with the Buddha’s descent from Trayastrimsa Heaven
India, Nagarjunakonda Stupa Site 6, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
late 3rd century CE
Torana architrave with lion makara
India, Phanigiri, Suryapet District, Telangana
3rd–4th century CE
Torana architrave with elephant makara
India, Phanigiri, Suryapet District, Telangana
3rd–4th century CE
Enthroned Buddha
India, probably Goli stupa, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
late 3rd century CE
Stupa panel with a mahapurusa figure, probably a yaksa honring the Buddha
India, Kotta Nandayapalem, Karlapalem, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh
3rd century CE
Buddha
India, Andhra Pradesh
3rd century CE
Buddha
India ,Alluru, Virulapadu, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh
3rd century CE
Buddha granting protection
India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
early 2nd century CE
Ayaka cornice with four narrative roundels
India, Nagarjunakonda, Gunter District, Andhra Pradesh
late 3rd century CE
Temple step (“moonstone”)
Sri Lanka, central plateau, probably Anuradhapura
ca. 8th century CE
Buddha
India, Nelakondapalli, Khammam district, Telangana
3rd century CE
Buddha Shakyamuni granting boons
India, Nelakondapalli, Khammam District, Telangana
late 5th–6th century CE
Buddha granting boons
India, Buddham (Buddhapad), Gunter District, Andhra Pradesh
late 5th–6th century CE
Buddha offering protection
India, unknown provenance in the Deccan, likely Andhra Pradesh
5th century CE