Eight Great Events from the Life of the Buddha
Pala period, 10th century
Medium
Phyllite
Dimensions
76.2 × 44.5 × 17.8 cm (30 × 17 1/2 × 7 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
130676
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Narrative events are depicted on all sides of this stele. A miniaturized scene at the lower left of the base, below the central Buddha’s feet, shows his miraculous birth from his mother’s side. Above this is the Buddha’s descent from heaven, where he went to preach to his dead mother, and farther up, the moment of his enlightenment, with his proper right hand touching the earth to witness. The upper left scene depicts his first sermon at the Deer Park in Sarnath. On the right side are scenes re...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...