{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25076"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25076/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU8874/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU8874/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU8874","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HR8851","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KL6340","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25076/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25076","accessionNumber":"IS.1039-1883","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[{"title":"Throne of the Buddha","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This red sandstone carving probably once formed part of a temple or shrine. It depicts the adoration of the empty throne, with a Buddhist emblem on it. The emblem can be variously interpreted as a throne cushion, a discarded turban headdress or a 'dharmachakra' ('wheel of law') symbol. \r\n\r\nEarly Buddhist artists were reluctant to represent the Buddha in human form. They preferred to indicate his presence symbolically. This relief indicates the Buddha's presence through an empty throne, attended by two attendants bearing fly-whisks, emblems of a world sovereign (‘cakravartin’), and flanked by winged-lion capitals.","physicalDescription":"A red sandstone carving depicting the adoration of the empty throne. A representation of a niche having a column with winged-lion capital on each side, and enclosing a couch or throne and footstool. A Buddhist emblem, probably the Dharma Chakra or Wheel of the Law, is shown on the throne, and two human faces with ornamental head-dresses appear above the back. Below is a Buddhist rail and at each of the two bottom corners, the capital of a pillar.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"sandstone","id":"AAT11376"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Red carved sandstone","categories":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Stoneware","id":"THES48890"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[{"text":"Kushan","id":"AAT18886"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AU8874","2015HR8851","2017KL6340"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47F","id":"THES49793"},"free":"","case":"WS","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mathura","id":"x34788"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2nd century - 3rd century","earliest":"0100-01-01","latest":"0300-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dr Turton","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"22","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"33","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"9","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/01/2015","earliest":"2015-01-14","latest":"2015-01-14"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Veneration of the Empty Throne.  This relief, which is contemporary with many Buddha images, provides a symbolic presence for the Buddha only.  The empty throne has a disc on it, most convincingly interpreted as a solar disc (radiant) symbol of the Buddha.\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Relief depicting veneration of the empty throne, sandstone, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, North India, 2nd-3rd century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"P Pal, Light of Asia, Buddha Sakyamuni in Asian Art, Los Angeles Museum of Art, 1984, no 71\r\nJ Guy, Indian Temple Sculpture, V&A, 2007, pg 27"},{"reference":{"text":"Guy, John <i>Indian temple sculpture </i>. London: V&A Publications, 2007","id":"AUTH339668"},"details":"p.27, pl.22","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Haworth-Booth, Mark; Indian Sculpture: A Travelling Exhibition, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1971","id":"AUTH348838"},"details":"No. 54","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Orientations; vol. 40. no. 4; May 2009; The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum.\r\nJohn Guy; Adoring the Stupa, Adoring the Buddha:  Kushan Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum,  p. 48"}],"production":"Uttar Pradesh, northern India","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhist","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The Adoration of the Empty Throne\r\nAD 100–300\r\nKushan dynasty\r\nMathura, Uttar Pradesh, North India\r\nSandstone\r\nAt the time this was made the Buddha was sometimes\r\nrepresented by symbols rather than in human form.\r\nHere, he is indicated by an empty throne flanked\r\nby attendants with fly whisks (emblems of a world\r\nsovereign). Under the throne is a footstool. The disc\r\nresting on the seat is believed to represent the sun,\r\nsymbolic of the Buddha’s radiance.\r\nGiven by F.A. Turton\r\nMuseum no. IS.1039-1883","date":{"text":"1/4/2009","earliest":"2009-04-01","latest":"2009-04-01"}},{"text":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"The Adoration of the Empty Throne\r\nAD 100–300\r\nKushan dynasty\r\nBefore the human image of the Buddha developed in\r\nthe 1st century AD, he was represented by symbols, such\r\nas this empty throne. The practice continued while human\r\nforms were also created. This image plays on the idea\r\nof the Buddha as the spiritual equivalent of a king who\r\nrules the whole world, or chakravartin. The disc resting\r\non the seat probably represents the sun, a symbol of the\r\nBuddha’s radiance.\r\nMathura, Uttar Pradesh, North India\r\nSandstone\r\nMuseum no. IS.1039-1883\r\n100–300","date":{"text":"03/08/2015","earliest":"2015-08-03","latest":"2015-08-03"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.1039-1883"],"accessionNumberNum":"1039","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1883,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN9381","2019LW8518","2019LV8929"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-21","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":false}}