{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O65291"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O65291/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB3023/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB3023/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BB3023","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM4848","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O65291/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O65291","accessionNumber":"IM.71-1939","objectType":"Relief panel","titles":[{"title":"Seven historical Buddhas and Maitreya","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"The relief shows the seven historical Buddhas or <i>Tathagatas</i> together with the Buddha of the Future, the Bodhisattva Maitreya, within an architectural setting.  The figures stand in a row filling the space between a plain two-tier base and an architrave supported on a pair of squat pillars at either end of the relief.  The shafts, which  each  have an incised longitudinal line with serifs at the top and bottom, carry two-tiered foliate capitals. The entablature above has plain fillets ornamented with saw tooth mouldings above and below a frieze of plain volutes which are decorated with vestigial pearl decoration in central grooves.  \r\n\r\nThe figures of the Buddhas and Maitreya all have plain disc aureoles behind their heads.  The Buddhas are all clothed in monks’ robes, which comprise an outer robe (<i>uttarasanga</i>) over an inner one (<i>antaravasaka</i>) the hem of which shows below the top garment.  They all have similar facial features with lowered eyes and moustaches, but they are shown in a variety of poses and, although all have <i>ushnishas</i> on their heads, their hair is dressed in different ways.\r\n\r\nDescribing them from the left hand side, the first is shown standing up straight with his right hand raised in the <i>Abhaya mudra</i>.  His hair is dressed into horizontal ridges with segmental partings. The second figure stands with his left leg slightly bent with his right arm held across his body enfolded in his robe like a sling, while his left hand, which is turned outwards, holds a rounded object in his palm. His hair is twisted in coils which are swept up to his <i>ushnisha</i>.  The third figure also stands with his right leg bent at the knee.  He makes the<i> Abhaya mudra</i> with his right hand while the left one rests on his hip.  His hair is shown in twisted coils that are swept up to his <i>ushnisha</i>.  The fourth Buddha stands up straight with his right arm enfolded in his robe and the left hand rests loosely on his hip.  His hair is carved in oblong-shaped curls round his head with his <i>ushnisha</i> surrounded by two alternate tiers of rounded curls.  The fifth has a missing right hand, but it was likely to have been raised in the <i>Abhaya mudra</i>, with the other one held against his right hip above his leg which is bent at the knee.  The hair is loosely swept back to a cottage-loaf-like <i>ushnisha</i> which is carved in the same fashion.  The sixth Buddha has a full frontal stance with his left forearm held up and the hand grasping the edge of his robe, while the right arm hangs down under the cover of his robe.  The features of his face are largely abraded, but his hair is carved in horizontal ridges with segmental partings.  The seventh Buddha has his left leg bent at the knee and he is holding up his right hand in the <i>Abhaya mudra</i> and the left hand is held against his hip. His robe is twisted round his left wrist and grasped in his hand.\r\n\r\nThe last figure on the right is that of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, whose face and torso are somewhat abraded.  He wears an elaborate headdress with fat ringlets tumbling out from the top. He is wearing an <i>antariya</i> ( a lower garment with the ends pulled up and tucked in on his left to form a fluted drape) and an <i>uttariya</i> draped over his  shoulders, looped across his body with the ends hanging down on each side.  He makes the <i>Abhaya mudra</i> with his right arm and he holds his distinguishing pot dangling from his right hand.  Traces of elaborate jewellery can be seen hanging across his torso round his neck.\r\n\r\nThe sides of the relief have been damaged resulting in jagged edges.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"schist","id":"AAT11626"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved grey schist","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Architectural fittings","id":"THES48994"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006BB3023","2006AM4848"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"128 (VA)","id":"THES49888"},"free":"","case":"CA9","shelf":"1","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Swat Valley","id":"x35776"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"4th century","earliest":"0300-01-01","latest":"0399-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Presented by Barger and Wright","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"0.295","unit":"m","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"0.58","unit":"m","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"From a collection of objects brought back from excavations in the Swat Valley by Evert Barger and Philip Wright during their 1938 expedition.  See also IM.69 to 142-1939 and IS.107 to 137-1961.\r\nReceived from E.H. Barger, Dept. of History, Bristol University 1939.\n\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Relief panel of the seven Buddhas of the past and the Bodhisattva Maitreya, grey schist,  4th century AD., Swat valley.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"E. Barger & P. Wright: 'Excavations in Swat and explorations in the Oxus territories of Afghanistan, a detailed report of the 1938 Expedition'. <u>Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of</u> <u>India</u>, 64, Calcutta, 1941"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"See Behrendt, Kurt A., <u>The Buddhist Architecture of Gandhara</u>, (Handbook of Oriental Studies, section Two: India, vol.17), Brill, Leiden, 2004, fig 51. In situ image base showing historic Buddhas and Maitreya from a shrine in court XIV, Takht-i-Bahi, ASFIC 960, British Library. This relief which was photographed in situ at the base of a shrine shares a similar iconographical design and arrangement to IM.71-1939. It comes from the Peshawar basin region, which was to the south of the Swat Valley, but connected by trade routes through the high passes."},{"reference":{"text":"Ackermann, Hans Christoph. <u>Narrative Stone Reliefs from Gandhara in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Catalogue and Attempt at a Stylistic History.</u> Reports and Memoirs. Director of the Series Giuseppe Tucci. Volume XVII. IsMEO, Rome, 1975.","id":"AUTH330359"},"details":"p. 151-52, pl. LXXIVa","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IM.71-1939"],"accessionNumberNum":"71","accessionNumberPrefix":"IM","accessionYear":1939,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-27","recordCreationDate":"2002-05-09","availableToBook":false}}