{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O24780"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O24780/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BD5652/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BD5652/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BD5652","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP4154","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EM2747","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EM2746","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AL2164","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JT9042","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O24780/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O24780","accessionNumber":"IM.184-1910","objectType":"Torso","titles":[{"title":"The Sanchi Torso","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"The \"Sanchi Torso\" was discovered in 1883 during excavations of portions of the western gateway (torana) of Stupa number 1 at Sanchi. Its precise identification remained ambiguous until 1971 when the existence of two fragments of a companion figure were identified at the site. Traces of the nagapuspa, the flower symbol of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, identified the newly discovered figure and removed any doubts that the V&A torso represents the other premier Buddhist saviour figure, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Both bodhisattvas would once almost certainly have flanked a monumental Buddha image within a temple setting. The figure is one of the masterpieces of Indian Mahayana art.","physicalDescription":"The \"Sanchi Torso\" was discovered in 1883 during excavations of portions of the western gateway (torana) of Stupa number 1 at Sanchi. Its precise identification remained ambiguous until 1971 when the existence of two fragments of a companion figure were identified at the site. Traces of the nagapuspa, the flower symbol of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, identified the newly discovered figure and removed any doubts that the V&A torso represents the other premier Buddhist saviour figure, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.\r\n\r\nThe torso appears to wear a waistcloth, the border of the upper hem being ornamented with a foliated scroll. There is a girdle with small kirti-mukha clasp, the upper band being engraved with small birds, elephants, rosettes and other conventional motifs. Other details include a broad jewelled necklace with small bell-pendants and a skin of the Black Buck  (krishnajina) worn over the left sholder, passing across the body and round the right side.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Sandstone","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006BD5652","2006AP4154","2010EM2747","2010EM2746","2006AL2164","2017JT9042"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"18","id":"THES49858"},"free":"","case":"PL006","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"sculpture","id":"AAT47090"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Madhya Pradesh","id":"x29831"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 900","earliest":"0895-01-01","latest":"0904-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased  from Mrs Pattie Kincaid","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"91","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"44.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"25","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"92","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Height including modern mount","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased  from Mrs Pattie Kincaid for £80, 1910. Originally loaned by late Major-General W.Kincaid in 1891.\r\n\r\nThis acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.\r\n\r\nRP 6373/1891 and 1910- 3185M\n","historicalContext":"The \"Sanchi Torso\" was discovered in 1883 during excavations of portions of the western gateway (torana) of Stupa number 1 at Sanchi. Its precise identification remained ambiguous until 1971 when the existence of two fragments of a companion figure were identified at the site. Traces of the nagapuspa, the flower symbol of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, identified the newly discovered figure and removed any doubts that the V&A torso represents the other premier Buddhist saviour figure, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.","briefDescription":"Torso of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (the compassionate one), ca. 900","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"A Cunningham, Arch. Survey of India Reports, Vol.X, 1974-7, Pl XXI and pp. 62-4.\r\nB.Rowland: The Art and Architecture of India (Penguin Books, London, 1953)., Pl.95.\r\n                   The Art Quarterly, Detroit, Spring, 1949, pp.170-6. plate 27.\r\nV & A Small Picture Book No.7, Indian Art.\r\nJ. Irwin, The Sanchi Torso, V & A Museum Year Book 3, 1972.\r\nMarshall & Foucher, The monuments of Sanchi, Vol.!!!, Pl 106 d. and Pl. 108 Fig a; and Vol,1, p.50. 70\r\nGuy, John: 'Indian Temple Sculpture', London V & A Publication, 2007, p.59. pl.60.\r\nISBN 971851775095"},{"reference":{"text":"Buddhist reliquaries from ancient India / Michael Willis with contributions by Joe Cribb and Julia Shaw. London: British Museum, 2000 Number: 0714114928","id":"AUTH339355"},"details":"p. 76, fig. 63","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"The art of India and Pakistan, a commemorative catalogue of the exhibition held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1947-8. Edited by Sir Leigh Ashton. London: Faber and Faber, [1950]","id":"AUTH343744"},"details":"p. 49, cat. no. 205","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Ayers, J. Oriental Art in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London 1983, ISBN 0-85667-120-7","id":"AUTH347571"},"details":"p. 61","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Irwin, John C., Indian Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1968","id":"AUTH348144"},"details":"pl. 7","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Irwin, John; Indian Art: Victoria & Albert Museum departmental guide, H.M.S.O. ISBN 0 905209117, 1978","id":"AUTH348999"},"details":"fig. 5, p. 7","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Clarke, John;  The New Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Galleries of Buddhist Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum,\r\nOrientations; vol. 48. no. 5,  September/October 2017, p. 66, fig. 5."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Irwin, John, The Sanchi Torso, reprinted from the  Victoria and Albert Museum Yearbook 3, 1972, published by The Phaidon Press.\r\nBound with offprint from Journal of Indian Society of Oriental Art, New Series, vol. VI, 1974-75. "}],"production":"Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, Central India.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (‘The Sanchi Torso’)\r\n\r\nAbout 900 \r\n\r\nAvalokiteshvara was one of the two most popular bodhisattvas or \r\nBuddhist saviour-beings. He wears a blackbuck skin and princely \r\njewels. \r\n\r\nThe figure comes from a shrine in the important Buddhist monastery at Sanchi.Together with a sculpture of the Bodhisattva \r\nMaitreya, it flanked a monumental image of the Buddha. Although \r\nlong admired for its beauty, the torso was only identified in 1971 \r\nwhen fragments of the Maitreya figure were discovered at Sanchi. \r\n\r\nSandstone \r\nCentral India \r\nDiscovered in 1883 at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh \r\n\r\nMuseum no. IM.184-1910 \r\n\r\n\r\n","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}},{"text":"THE BODHISATTVA AVALOKITESHVARA\r\nSandstone\r\nSanchi, Madhya Pradesh, Central India\r\nCirca 900 A.D.\r\n\r\nThe \"Sanchi torso\" was discovered in 1883 during excavation of portions of the western gateway (torana) of Stupa No.1 at Sanchi. Its precise identification remained ambiguous until 1971 when the existence of two fragments of a companion figure were identified in a storeroom at the site. Traces of the nagapuspa, the flower symbol of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, identified the newly discovered figure and removed any doubts that the V&A torso represents the other premier Buddhist saviour figure, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.\r\n\r\nIM.184-1910","date":{"text":"1988","earliest":"1988-01-01","latest":"1988-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["IM.184-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"184","accessionNumberPrefix":"IM","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-15","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":false}}