South Asia: Pala Sculpture and Painting
Artist: unknown
Title: Suchimukha Lokesvara
Material: stone
Site: Bihar, India (site unknown)
Current Location:
Period/Date: Ca. early 12th century
Iconography/Iconology: Suchimukha Lokesvara offers amrita
(nector of immortality) to the kneeling figure beside his proper right foot
(viewer's lower left). The image of feeding amrita to the preta
is the central figure in a cult of offering sustenance to those beings
trapped in hell or pretaloka. Essentially, the practitioner identifies
him or herself as Avalokitesvara and makes every effort to relieve the suffering
of all sentient beings.
Stylistic Comments: Images from Bihar are less complex and richly
detailed than those from Bengal. They are, however, in contrast to earlier
images, much more complicated and do reflect increased iconographic elaboration.
