Sep 24, 2012
Sep 24, 2012

Ascetic Holding a Skull

Ascetic Holding a Skull

c. 500

Gilt bronze

Overall: 19.4 cm (7 5/8 in.); Figure: 18.1 cm (7 1/8 in.)

John L. Severance Fund 1980.25

Description

The figure holding the skull has been identified as Mrgasirsa, who sought Buddha’s teaching on how to
determine the karma and transmigration of the arhats. Mrgasirsa appears with Vasistha in some of the wall
paintings of the Mogao grottoes in Dunhuang.

See also
Department: 
Chinese Art
Type of artwork: 
Sculpture
Medium: 
Gilt bronze

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email [email protected].

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.