Green Tara 14th-15th century

This sculpture of Green Tara, in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, was made by an anonymous artist. Notice first the interplay between the golden surfaces of her face and ornaments, contrasted with the deep bronze of her body, a chromatic tension that enlivens the statue. The careful arrangement of her crown and jewelry, dotted with turquoise, gives a sense of opulence. This embellishment serves not only an aesthetic purpose, but also signals Tara's spiritual status. Her pose is deliberately asymmetrical, creating visual interest and implying dynamic potential. Consider the semiotic system at play. In Buddhist iconography, hand gestures are loaded with meaning, they are 'mudras.' Here, Tara’s right hand is in a gesture of generosity, while her left hand holds the stem of a lotus, which signifies purity and enlightenment. The sculpture thus functions as a sign, encoding complex spiritual concepts in a visual form. The statue's incomplete form disrupts conventional notions of wholeness, prompting us to consider themes of impermanence and the cyclical nature of existence, central tenets in Buddhist philosophy. This tension between aesthetic beauty and fragmented form encourages a deep meditation.