Standing figure (torso) of a bodhisattva (<em>pusa</em>)

early 8th century

This image of a bodhisattva (enlightened being) draws attention to the fragmentary condition of many Buddhist sculptures that entered Western collections in the early twentieth century. With the head, arms, and double-lotus pedestal missing, the sculpture lacks the balanced proportion expected of an eighth-century statue. However, comparison of this torso with complete sculptures in situ in China confirms its authenticity as a work probably made in Chang'an, the capital city of the Tang dynasty (618-907). It is not known when the figure was damaged, but many sculptures incurred such losses when they were removed from China.