Medieval · Cleveland Museum of Art · 1918.501
Amitabha Triad
Unknown maker, 1400s
Cleveland Museum of Art · Worcester R. Warner Collection · Public domain
- Artist
- Unknown maker
- Date
- 1400s
- Medium
- bronze with traces of gilding
- Dimensions
- Overall: 40.6 x 16.5 x 54.6 cm (16 x 6 1/2 x 21 1/2 in.)
- Era
- Medieval
Why it matters
This bronze triad depicts Amitabha, the Buddha of Western Paradise, at the center, flanked by two bodhisattvas: Ksitigarbha on his left and Avalokiteśvara on his right. Ksitigarbha is believed to rescue those tormented beings from purgatory, while Avalokiteśvara offers relief to those suffering in the mortal realm. An exceptionally rare statue from the 1400s, this piece entered the CMA’s collection in 1918. It was discovered in Korea in 1916 by Langdon Warner (1881–1955), who was serving as the CMA’s field agent. In a letter dated December 4, 1916, Warner expressed not only his excitement upon finding the triad in a local pawn shop but also his satisfaction at purchasing it at a significantly reduced price.