Buddhist Divinity 1715 - 1730

Editor: This is a porcelain sculpture titled "Buddhist Divinity," created around 1715-1730 by the Meissen Manufactory. Seeing this, the dark sheen and wide smile give the figure an unexpected, almost unsettling, cheerfulness. What do you make of this piece? Curator: Unsettling is a great word! It’s fascinating how an object from so long ago can still prick at our sensitivities. The sculpture exists in a web of power, trade, and representation, and Meissen was essentially trying to decode what they thought the "Orient" was. Notice how the shiny surface draws the eye, almost demanding attention, even as the details might make us wince today. Editor: So, it’s more about European perceptions of Buddhism than actual Buddhist artistry? Curator: Exactly! The figure's not so much about serene enlightenment as it is about Europe playing with ideas of the exotic. I’m drawn to how the porcelain—originally from China—ends up here in a twisted narrative of imitation. What was copied? What was imagined? How much knowledge—or ignorance—was at play here? Editor: I see what you mean. It makes me wonder about the stories we tell ourselves about other cultures, even today. Curator: Absolutely! And that little pot…is it holding some sacred unguent, or just a fanciful whim of the sculptor? Perhaps both. Editor: It definitely gives me something to ponder—how historical context changes how we see a piece. Curator: For sure! It's less about answering the "what" and more about opening up the "why" and "how." Isn't art grand?