An Artifact Speech on the Statue of Tara: Artistry and Symbolism

Artifact Description and Origin

The artifact I have selected is that of a statue of Buddha that is currently on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. The object's origin is believed to be Central Tibet and from the 1700’s. The statue measures 19 x 12.5 x 12 inches. The artifact depicts Tara with a female body that is in a sitting pose on an oval base. Her waist is tiny in proportion to her body, and she has prominent breasts. Her legs are in front of her, with both feet bare.

One leg is bent near her body, and one leg is extended, though slightly bent. She has a crown, long earrings, and ornate feathers on each arm. These items are decorated with turquoise jewels. The artist has Tara’s eyes and mouth closed. Her facial expression displays a slight smile. Her hands are in a traditional pose of Vitarka, where one hand has the thumb and a finger forming a circle and one hand with the palm facing out. Her hair is long and pulled atop her head and colored blue. The object is the color of gold; however, it is made of a gilded copper alloy.

Elements of Perception

There are two striking elements of the statue that contribute to the perception and the experience that I have. These are the artist’s creation of Tara’s expression on her face and the positioning of her upper body and arms. The artist has created Tara with a slight smile on her face, which emotes a sense of peace and contentment. This is why I believe the smile is not wide, going across the statue’s face, as this would show someone being jolly or happy. The second important element is the sense of movement the artist has created in the statue. Tara’s arms are positioned away from her body, and her waist is slightly bent. This creates a sensation as if she is swaying on the base she sits on.

Symbolism and Intent of the Artifact

I believe the maker wanted to create a statute that would show that Tara was worthy of being revered. This is accomplished by the crown on her head, the jewels she wears, and the object's primary color of gold. And I believe the object is meant to show compassion. Tara’s head is slightly tilted, so she appears to look downward. Though she is depicted as regal, she appears benevolent with these artistic designs. The statue of Tara was believed to be created sometime in the 18th century in Tibet. During this time, the country of Tibet and Buddhism were faced with conflict and instability. The conflict and instability were from missionaries and other countries wishing to expand trade and influence in Tibet.

During this time, British expansion was in full force, including efforts by the East India Company to establish trade. Bhutan was defeated, and Bengal was colonized. Both areas bordered Tibet, thus motivating the Third Panchen Lama to invite the British to Tibet for a peace initiative. Armenia and Russia were also moving into Tibet, attempting to create trading colonies. Mongolia also invaded Tibet during this time frame, creating further disruption in the culture of Tibet. As trade routes were being developed, missionaries began traveling to Tibet with the purpose of conversion to Christianity. Even with such disorder, the writings of those who traveled to Tibet address Buddhism as a religion of acceptance and peace. The statue of Tara is a representation of the perception that travelers from other religions and cultures observed.

Historical and Cultural Context

Objects such as this statue of Tara relate to the Buddhist culture by representing enlightenment. Buddhism teaches that as one becomes more peaceful and more loving, enlightenment may be reached. The artifact becomes an important representation of how the tenets of Buddhism impact followers in their day-to-day lives or when followers become leaders in business and in art, to name only a few areas of society. However, one of the greatest historical impacts of what the object represents is in politics. There have been several important people in history who followed the Buddhist teachings and implemented the teachings for the betterment of society, impacting the human experience positively. General Henry Steel Olcott, an American military officer, lawyer, and journalist who helped spread Buddhist theory; B.R. Ambedkar, who fought for women's rights and fought against social discrimination in India. And peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, to name three (Buddhism, 2017). The compassion that Buddhism teaches and that the artist represents in this statue of Tara has the ability to impact some of the greatest challenges the human race is currently facing: homelessness, starvation, and the depletion of the earth’s resources.
Was the artifact created for the artist to use for their own meditation purposes, for an exclusive individual, or to be part of an altar that included other artifacts?

Is there another purpose, other than for meditation, that the artist had for the artifact?

Do I have any biases or values that I am imposing on the perceived intent of the artist?

I believe that resources such as the ones I list below will offer further details on the political, social, and religious atmosphere in Tibet in the 18th century. This will assist me in being able to discern more of what the artists’ intent for creating the statue of Tara would have been. My biases, hopefully, will become more apparent as I perform more of the homework in this course and further develop my project.

References:

1. Smithsonian Institution: National Museum of American History. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://americanhistory.si.edu/

2. Henss, M. (2019). Tibetan Buddhist Iconography: A Comprehensive Introduction. Routledge.

3. Spandi, M. (2009). Tibet in the 18th Century: Historical, Political and Spiritual Changes. Proceedings of the 9th IATS, 1-22.

4. Engelhardt, I. (2005). Russia in Tibet: Imperial Expansion in the 18th Century. The Tibet Journal, 30(3), 3-20.

5. Buddhism, T. G. (2017). Great Buddhist Leaders of the 20th Century. Retrieved from https://www.greatbuddhism.com/

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