This category includes antiquities from the vast and culturally diverse regions of Asia. The objects illustrate long-standing artistic traditions and the ways in which material culture expressed religious ideas, social values, and connections between communities across time.
Crafted in stucco during the late Kushan period around the 300s CE in the Gandhara region of present-day Afghanistan, this sculpture depicts the seated Buddha in a meditative pose, flanked by two attendants offering tributes.
This intriguing monster, originating from the late 500s CE during the Northern Qi dynasty, served as a supportive element in Buddhist cave temples, blending grotesque ferocity with protective symbolism to ward off evil spirits.
Crafted in the 18th century, the snuff bottle exemplifies the artistry and cross-cultural exchanges of the era, offering a glimpse into how portable luxury items like this were not only functional but also symbols of imperial curiosity and refinement.
This piece not only showcases masterful craftsmanship from the Qing dynasty but also invites us to explore the poet Li Taibo's life, blending themes of indulgence, fortune, and the fleeting nature of existence.
This votive stupa carved in steatite and densely inscribed with sacred text and imagery, it encapsulates key aspects of early Chinese Buddhism: devotion, cosmology, and the transmission of religious ideas along the Silk Road.
Carved from precious sandalwood during China's tumultuous Five Dynasties period in the 900s, this portable figure depicts Potala Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion (known as Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit), who resides on the mythical Mount Potala.
Dating to the 1000s–1100s in Nepal, the sculpture captures her in a dynamic, ecstatic tantric pose symbolizing the transformative energy of Vajrayana Buddhism.
It depicts a mythical hybrid creature with two heads sharing a single body: one fierce, gaping lion head symbolizing power and aggression, and one calm bull head with horns representing fertility and strength.
The Bidri Basin, dating to around 1650 from Bidar in Karnataka, southwestern India, stands as a magnificent example of Bidriware, a renowned and distinctive metalcraft tradition from the Deccan region.
The sculpture illustrates the bhūmisparśa mudrā, the “earth-touching gesture,” one of the most important hand gestures in Buddhist art. It symbolizes unshakable resolve, truth, and the moment of awakening, portraied by Shakyamuni.
Although modest in size, the sculpture of Phagmo Drupa immediately commands attention through its rich materials, intricate inlay, and the serene, authoritative presence of the lama, who is depicted in a Buddha-like posture that underscores his spiritual attainment.
Known as a Male Atlantean Figure, it likely formed part of an architectural or decorative program within a Buddhist monastic complex.