20 UMMA Objects
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Eugène Delacroix (French (culture or style))
Lycurgus Consulting the Pythia
1835 – 1845
Museum Purchase
1968/2.75
A fragment of a stone slab, originally a facing on the drum of a small stupa, carved with a narrative scene.  In this relief, he is converting devotees of the fire god Agni, the three ascetic Kasyapa brothers and their disciples. In this narrative, the Buddha asked to spend the night in the fire temple of Uruvilva Kasyapa. The temple’s fire god worshipers thought the fearsome fire serpent that dwelled within the temple would vanquish the Buddha.  Instead, the fiery radiance of the meditating Buddha overwhelmed the serpent, who crawled into the Buddha’s alms bowl; the defeated snake appears in this sculpture below the Buddha. Meanwhile, the dazzling radiance the Buddha emits has been mistaken for flames and a fire brigade using ladders and pots of water has been formed to put out the fire, as can be seen here. Seated in the posture and gesture of meditation, the Buddha’s calm presence is in contrast to the action unfolding around him. The three Kasyapa brothers, with their beards and matted hair, are at the bo
Artist Unknown, Gandhara (Ancient Pakistan and Afghanistan)
Scene from the life of the Buddha: Buddha triumphs over the fire snake at the Fire Temple of Uruvilva Kasyapa (architectural fragment)
200 – 232
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund
1972/2.41

Indian (Indian (South Asian))
Virabhadra
1600 – 1799
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Leo S. Figiel and Dr. and Mrs. Steven J. Figiel
1978/2.75
A bas-relief carving made of bone and in the shape of a lotus petal, depicting Pehar, a guardian of the Tibetan Buddhist faith, in wrathful form. At the base of the "petal" are the tops of mountains, with the waves of the sea visible between them; in the rounded part of the "petal,"  a border of flames encircles a dynamic image of Pehar, his garments flowing in the wind as he rides on a snow lion. The background behind Pehar is incised with closely spaced wavy lines, again suggesting flames.
Dorje Legpa Votive Plaque
18th century
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund
1985/2.50

Chinese (Chinese (culture or style))
Standing Buddha (or possibly Maitreya) in abhaya mudra, with flask in left hand
4th century
Gift of Mrs. Caroline I. Plumer for the James Marshall Plumer Collection
1964/1.91

Chinese (Chinese (culture or style))
Buddha, seated, with mandorla and dais; inscription
515
Museum purchase for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection
1964/2.96

Chinese (Chinese (culture or style))
Bodhisattva, attendant figure from a larger Buddha shrine
618 – 907
Museum purchase for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection
1961/2.81
Small gilt bronze seated Buddha with Indian and Central Asian characteristics, including the pedestal he is seated on, folds of his robe, and the incised flames in the body halo encompassing him.
Chinese (Chinese (culture or style))
Buddha, seated in the padmasana pose, in dhyana mudra, with mandorla
433 – 466
Museum purchase for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection
1964/2.94

Indian (Indian (South Asian))
Eight-armed Durga Seated on a Ram
18th century
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Leo S. Figiel and Dr. and Mrs. Steven J. Figiel
1977/2.48
Vishnu stands with his legs apart holding his four attributes in his hands.  Reading in clockwise direction from his right front hand he holds:  his club, discus, conch and lotus, here a rather flat object cupped in his palm.  His back two arms are extremely short. The figure is encircled with a decorated arch with a line of beads and triangular shaped openings around them.  A stylized sun and moon are to either side of Vishnu’s head.  He wears a variety of simple, lumpy jewelry at his feet are a horse to his right and a bull or cow to his left and between them are three rings lying flat on the base.  At the front of the base are seven stylized horses, identifying this as a combination figure: Vishnu and the sun god Surya, whose chariot is pulled by seven horses.<br />
Indian (Indian (South Asian))
Four-armed Vishnu
1700 – 1899
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Leo S. Figiel and Dr. and Mrs. Steven J. Figiel.
1977/2.49
Mañjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, standing with two celestial attendants.  This representation of Manjushri includes six arms, one of which holds a sword, while a narrow book (modeled after books made from palm leaves) lays across his upper hand.  Manjushri is wearing an ornamented crown and necklace, and is encircled by a halo of flames.
Indian (Indian (South Asian))
Six-armed Bodhisattva Mañjusri, standing, with two celestial attendants
17th century
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Leo S. Figiel and Dr. and Mrs. Steven J. Figiel
1978/2.109
A portable painting in mineral pigments and gold on a primed cotton ground; the painting is designed to be rolled up when not in use. The painting was folded at some time in its history, resulting in a loss of pigment along two vertical lines.
Pehar Gyalpo
Gift of Mrs. Caroline I. Plumer for the James Marshall Plumer Collection
1980/2.211
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