{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O63946"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O63946/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF3494/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF3494/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF3494","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BD7363","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JT9014","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O63946/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O63946","accessionNumber":"IM.39-1922","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[{"title":"Bodhisattva, probably Maitreya, seated in Royal Ease.","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This Buddhist devotional image, probably commissioned for donation to a temple at Pagan, depicts a male figure, probably the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, seated in the dress and posture of  'royal ease'. This unique Buddhist image is an iconographic rarity in that it may be dated as late as the 10th or 11th century; but it  represents the work of craftsmen working in the earlier tradition.","physicalDescription":"Gilded bronze sculpture seated in the posture of royal ease (<i>rājalīlāsana</i>) adorned with a necklace, arm bands, ankle bands, and round ear ornaments. He wears an elaborate crown garlanded with jewels and pearls, at the centre of which is an oblong form reminiscent of a high-sided <i>stūpa </i>such as those found at Prome and Bagan in Myanmar. This feature indicates the figures identity as the <i>bodhisattva</i> Maitreya (Pali Metteyya), the future Buddha. The sculpture is solid cast and much of its gilding is abraded. The singificant area of corrosion on the rear of the sculpture may suggest an historical repair.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"copper alloy","id":"AAT10942"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"amalgam gilding","id":"AAT53790"},{"text":"lost-wax process","id":"AAT53113"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cast copper alloy, with gilding","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[{"text":"Pyu","id":"AAT19094"},{"text":"Pagan","id":"AAT120165"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AF3494","2006BD7363","2017JT9014"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47A","id":"THES49797"},"free":"","case":"15","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Burma","id":"x30037"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"8-9th century","earliest":"0008-01-01","latest":"0899-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bought from F.E. Dempster Esq., 1 Kensington Gardens Square, W.2","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"18","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Measurement at widest point ","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"12","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Reportedly found at Pagan , Burma, before 1922.\r\n\r\nHistorical significance: A unique Buddhist image of the late Pyu style, of iconographic rarity.\r\n\r\nBought from F.E. Dempster Esq., 1 Kensington Gardens Square, W.2. This 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\nR.P. 1922- 2427","historicalContext":"Buddhist devotional image, probably commissioned for donation to a temple at Pagan.","briefDescription":"Sculpture, probably depicting the bodhisattva Maitreya, gilded bronze, 8-9th century, Burma.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Burmese art / John Lowry. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1974 Number: 0112901794 :","id":"AUTH339985"},"details":"cat. no. 18","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Zwalf, Wladimir (Ed.), <i>Buddhism: Art and Faith</i>, London, British Museum, 1985","id":"AUTH353273"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"<u>Lost Kingdoms : Hindu-Buddhist sculpture of early Southeast Asia</u> / John Guy ; with essays by Pierre Baptiste, Lawrence Becker, Bérénice Bellina, Robert L. Brown, Federico Carò, Pattaratorn Chirapravati, Janet G. Douglas, Arlo Griffiths, Agustijanto Indradjaya, Le Thi Lien, Pierre-Yves Manguin, Stephen A. Murphy, Ariel O'Connor, Peter Skilling, Janice Stargardt, Donna Strahan, U Thein Lwin, Geoff Wade, U Win Kyaing, Hiram Woodward, and Thierry Zéphir. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Costume Institute), c2014 Number: 9781588395245 (MMA), 1588395243 (MMA), 9780300204377 (Yale), 030020437X (Yale), 9786167339481, 6167339481","id":"AUTH332814"},"details":"pp. 239-240, cat. no.145, ill.","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Burma to Myanmar","id":"AUTH399604"},"details":"pp. 53-54; fig. 2.9","free":"Alexandra Green,<i> Burma to Myanmar</i> (London: British Museum Press, 2023), 53-54 and fig. 2.9."}],"production":"Reportedly found at Pagan, before 1922, but in Pyu style and possibly made elsewhere, perhaps Sri Kshetra (Prome, Myanmar).","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Maitreya","id":"N896"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The Bodhisattva Maitreya\r\n900–1100\r\nThis Buddhist devotional image probably depicts the\r\nBodhisattva Maitreya, seated in the dress and posture of ‘royal\r\nease’. He is identified by the stupa in his headdress. Though\r\nslightly later than the Pyu period, the sculpture is a rare image\r\nmade in the Pyu style.\r\nCopper alloy with gilding\r\nBurma (perhaps Sri Kshetra, near Prome)\r\nFound at Pagan\r\nMuseum no. IM.39-1922","date":{"text":"14/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-14","latest":"2011-06-14"}}],"partNumbers":["IM.39-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"39","accessionNumberPrefix":"IM","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2020MP1953"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-22","recordCreationDate":"2002-01-03","availableToBook":false}}