Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
The Buddha Attains Parinirvana
(Southeast Asia )
This dynamic painting illustrates one of the Jataka tales--stories of the former lives of the Buddha. In these popular stories, which number in the hundreds, the Buddha takes various forms—human, divine, and animal—to carry out virtuous acts of charity, courage, and humility, setting an example for humanity.
This painting shows the Buddha preparing for death at the age of 80. After eating spoiled meat offered to him, the Buddha falls ill and lies down on a couch, propping his head up with his right hand. He preaches one last sermon, enters a meditation, and attains "Mahaparinirvana," or the great passing of suffering. At that moment, the earth trembles.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection; given to Walters Art Museum, 2002.
Geographies
Thailand (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Overall H: 25 x W: 18 7/8 in. (63.5 x 48 cm); Framed, H: 33 3/8 × W: 26 3/4 × D: 7/8 in. (84.8 × 68 × 2.2 cm)
Credit Line
Gift from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection, 2002
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
35.285