Description
Although a number of Buddhist textiles produced in the Sino-Tibetan style survive, Central Asian embroideries from the same period are exceedingly rare. Here, a goddess standing on a lotus support and playing a bowed lute may be the personification of the sense of hearing. In Buddhism, the five senses were represented as female deities, each a different color (in this case, blue). The style of the figure, her hair, the form of her crown, the nervously ruffled hem, the scrolling scarves, and the rainbow halo with rays are Central Asian. This figure originally was part of a large hanging.
Provenance
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Accession Number
1987.145
Medium
silk and gold thread over two layers of cotton, embroidery
Dimensions
Overall: 66.5 x 45 cm (26 3/16 x 17 11/16 in.)
Classification
Embroidery
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund