Japanese Art in 60 Seconds: Seated Buddha

Join curator of Japanese Art, Sinéad Vilbar, to learn more about this Seated Buddha (如来坐像) figure, currently on view at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Like many Buddhas, this figure has its right hand positioned in a gesture meaning "fear not." However, the left hand is a replacement, so its original gesture, a clue to this Buddha's identity, is unknown. A 1906 photo taken at Kōfukuji shows this sculpture without a halo or left hand.

The new research presented in this video is the work of Yamaguchi Ryūsuke and Miyazaki Motoko of the Nara National Museum.