Seated Bodhisattva

The first object at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is the Seated Bodhisattva. It is a Bodhisattva, a future Buddha who remains on Earth to help others reach enlightenment, depicted in carved limestone. It is from the Eastern Wei, made around 530 C.E. The artist is unknown, and the piece was excavated from the White Horse Monastery in Loyang, Henan province, China. The second object is the Guanyin, Bodhisattva of Compassion. It is also a Bodhisattva, but instead depicted in wood, specifically paulownia tomentosa, with polychrome and gilding. It is from the Jin Dynasty, early 12th century C.E., about six centuries later than the Seated Bodhisattva. The artist is also unknown, and it was made with wood native of western China. Through the material, size, use of color, style of carving, and inclusion of traditional Bodhisattva elements, these two examples of Bodhisattvas demonstrate the importance of circumambulation in the Chinese adaption of the worship of Buddhism.
The face of the Seated Bodhisattva has very basic
However, the amount of painted decoration and the over-life size of both pieces, point to the intention of the artists to have both statues be monumental and prominent in their contexts for a long time.
The use of line in the Seated Bodhisattva is very decisive. Line composes all the decoration, as the depth in line determines each shape and its corresponding details. The limestone is carved in relief, with the attire and trappings rising out from the figure. Parts, such as the crown and bi-shaped buckle, rely on line entirely to define their form. Line carries the eye through the stylized drapery, leading the viewer through the folds of the fabric at the base. Each line is distinct and carefully handcrafted to add information to the figure. This statue can be seen from near and far, and understood from both