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Birth of the Buddha Shakyamuni

ca. 2nd century
Not on view
This panel, together with the one showing Maya's dream (1976.402), was part of a larger set that would have sequentially encircled the drum of a small stupa to recount the life of the Buddha. Here, Maya reaches up to grasp a branch of a tree, much like earlier representations of yakshis (female nature deities), and miraculously gives birth to the Buddha out of her right side.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Birth of the Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Period: Kushan period
  • Date: ca. 2nd century
  • Culture: Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
  • Medium: Stone
  • Dimensions: H. 6 15/16 in. (16 cm); W. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm); D. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Steven Kossak, The Kronos Collections, 1987
  • Object Number: 1987.417.1
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

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The Dream of Queen Maya (the Buddha's Conception), Schist, Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
The Dream of Queen Maya (the Buddha's Conception)
Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
ca. 2nd century
Buddha, Schist, Pakistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, possibly Takht-i-bahi monastery, ancient region of Gandhara
Buddha
Pakistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, possibly Takht-i-bahi monastery, ancient region of Gandhara
3rd century
Standing Bodhisattva Maitreya (Buddha of the Future), Gray schist, Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
Standing Bodhisattva Maitreya (Buddha of the Future)
Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
ca. 3rd century
Bust of a Bodhisattva, Schist, Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
Bust of a Bodhisattva
Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
ca. 4th–5th century
Seated Buddha, Bronze with traces of gold leaf, Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
Seated Buddha
Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)
1st to mid-2nd century

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