The picture above shows the sculpture of Hercules, son of Zeus and Alkemena. The first things I noticed about this sculpture are Hercules’ posture and body shape. He is known as a very strong man, and this is exactly what the sculpture depicts. The sculpture is very similar to what we are used to seeing with Greek sculptures. Usually, if the sculpture is that of a emperor or warrior, they show their height (most often make them look taller than their actual height), wide chests, and strong arms. However what makes this sculpture different is the way Hercules is standing. His legs are apart, the right one is straight whereas the left leg looks like he’s dragging it almost as if he was walking. Both of his hands are occupied with something; in the right arm he’s holding a piece of cloth which could be a toga, and in the left one he’s carrying something that looks like a piece of wood.

This is the sculpture of “Monkey King.” In comparison to Hercules’ sculpture, this one is very different. I notice that his shoulders are wide unlike his chest, his arms are big but not muscular as we saw with Hercules’ sculpture. His waist is very small, while his legs are fat. Also he seems very short compared to Hercules. He, unlike Hercules, is wearing a hat and a lot of jewelry. Overall, this sculpture is not trying to depict Monkey King as a strong person but rather as a peaceful one judging by the gesture of his hands.

Here is a marble sculpture of Youthful Hercules. This sculpture was created during the Flavian Dynasty around 68-98 A.D. It is a Roman sculpture depicting the Greek hero, Hercules in his youth. As a Roman sculpture, the style known as contrapposto is evident. The facial structure of Hercules is so defined that it seems almost as if it was an actual portrait. The wide shoulders and exposed genitals help express masculinity. Its important to note that the size of the genitals does not matter because proportion is favored.   On his left arm where the lion’s fur resides, is portrayed to reference  Hercules’s first labor. Behind him, one can see Hercule’s club. Without a doubt, this sculpture represents courage, masculinity, and the importance of Hercules’s legacy.

The Marble Statue of Hercules Bearded, derives from the Flavian Dynasty around the same time as the Youthful Hercules. Much to the latter, the contrapposto is also evident based on how he is standing. Again, the sense of masculinity is portrayed around the posture and genital exposure.  The only difference really is the absence of the club and the different arrangement of the lion’s fur. The lion’s fur seems to be more elegant and reserved while on top of his head. Overall, the two statues are extremely similar with very little to none differences. Even as he ages, Hercules still retains the appearance of an Adonis being.

These two pieces really captured my attention. They both are results of religious influence. The first sculpture is taken from the Chinese exhibit, and is of Bodhisattva. The posture of the stature, in my opinion exhibited a transience of peace. The more we spoke about the piece the more I noticed. For instance the way that the statue is clothed is very minimal, except for the head piece there is a non-materialistic feeling emitted from the piece. The way the hands and feet are positioned emphasize inner peace. I didn’t know that flexibility played such an important role in this culture before a discussion was held in front of the piece. The second piece drew many of the same feelings from me. The second piece, is the Seated Bodhisattva Maitreya (the Buddha of the future). Even though these two sculptures are made from the same medium, you can see the differences in craftsmanship, as this piece came from modern day Afghanistan. Here we have a Buddha which, off the bat is different in gender, body shape, as well as the clothing. This form of Bodhisattva wears jewels and is adorned with necklaces and bracelets, not giving off the simple vibe which was introduced by the first statue. The hand gestures however remain the same, allowing for that inner peace to shine through. These gestures are something seen a lot also through Hinduism, so it’s important to note how cultural values travel, along with explorers.

Mandala of the All-Knowing Buddha Vairochana

It is a depiction of mandala, the palace of Buddha, which caught my attention for a while. When I looked closer to it, I realized that there are actually many figures of Buddha. According to the explanation of the depiction, it indicates the centric figure is Vairochana and there are other thirty six deities surrounding the Virochana figure. Also, this work reminded me of my grandmother’s funeral day. As it has five additional mandalas suggesting the ritual practice that helps to remove impediments to good rebirth, the copy of this work was used to honor my grandmother.

Dukhwa Seo

The photo above is of a marble sarcophagus (a stone coffin) telling the story of Selene and Endymion. And while I am not particular educated in Roman mythology, I really appreciate the detail and intricacy of this coffin. The stone is not only carved to show a simple scenery, but it even tells a tale of a goddess going to see her lover. Someone looking at this piece will not easily be bored; there is so many different facets to analyze and admire. I love that such a solid, stiff piece of material can be molded and manipulated into something so refined and beautiful.

This second photo is of a limestone panel showing the Buddha at the Gateway of  Stupa. Like the Roman piece, this Indian piece demonstrates a story. In fact, there are several different events going on on this one panel. On one portion of the panel, the Buddha’s half-brother, Nanda is joining the Buddhist order. Another portion displays Siddhartha leaving the palace to seek enlightenment. In comparison to the sarcophagus, this panel has many more elements fitted into a smaller space. It feels as if this piece is of a screenshot of what a busy city would be like. While the Roman piece was very beautiful and delicate, this piece seems more real. There are the highly spiritual people praying and achieving enlightenment. Yet, at the same time, the panel includes many ordinary people and beggars.

Julia-Zoe Hung

This piece was interesting to me because of the small details it has and how it was different from the rest. The way that his legs are folded is different, because the palm of both his feet are facing upward. The stance looks uncomfortable. The palm of his hands are also facing upward. This is gesture of meditation. It also shows the enlightenment’s contemplative. Meaning that his hands shows the mind process of enlightenment, of how to get there. The other pieces have their hands up, which is a sign of peace. This form of the Buddha has only one face, yet the other Buddha’s have six faces. There is also jewelry that is around his arm and chest. This represents wealth. Lastly, there is a robe across his chest that signifies a certain status.

  Maitreya refers to a bodhisattva who in tradition of Buddhism is to emerge on earth, attain complete enlightenment, and then teach puredharma. As the scripture states, Maitreya would be an heir of historic Sakyamuni Buddha. The foretelling of Maitreya arrival refers to a period when many Jambudvipa would have forgotten Dharma. This is found in the canonical literature of all the main Buddhist schools and is acknowledged by many Buddhists as a statement regarding event, which will happen when Dharma would have forgotten on earth.

On the other hand, Avalokitesvara is the biggest number of forms and is conceivably the most respected and the most accepted Buddhist god. His sex, initial masculine, sometimes it is considered feminine in Japan and china, though this discrimination is not supported by of the canonical text. The Avalokitesvara is recognized from early Mahayana doctrines development and, until the Buddhism disappeared from India, it has enjoyed great favors there.

At the Rubin Museum, separated into six parts, there are  fifty-four paintings which are used to depict the practices of the all knowing Buddha. This particular painting is number 26. It shows the four faces of Vairochana. Here he is seated on a lotus in a meditative position. Based on first glance you can see that he is ornamented in jewelry , which is contrasted by his skin tone. After reading the description of this piece, I found that the painting was done by multiple artists, however I found it to be  very fluid.  I chose this piece because it generated a sense of peacefulness and it captured my attention with the brightness that is exposed by the art.