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Art of the Buddhist Relic online exhibition

Art of the Buddhist Relic online exhibition

This virtual exhibition was crafted by advanced Vanderbilt students of the Spring 2023 course “Art of the Buddhist Relic and Reliquary” (HART 3164W), under the supervision of Professor Susan Dine. The relic has historically played a pivotal part in Buddhist practice throughout Asia, often acting as a way to collapse the temporal and geographic distances between the historical Buddha and different Asian communities. Even today, the relic and associated reliquaries are significant to Buddhist practitioners and sometimes even diplomatic relationships between governments. The concept of a Buddhist relic can be complex and seemingly wide-ranging, but often explores intricacies related to materiality and the (perceived) body–or relationships to a body.

What is a relic? How has the complexity of relics been captured in visual forms? Can relics also be connected to objects that are clearly not relics themselves? With these questions and more in mind, students conducted hands-on research, expanding our knowledge and understanding of objects in the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art’s collection. To learn more about what the visual culture of relics could be, please go to each object’s page to read the student work.

An ivory object in the form of a Southeast Asian stupa that is spire-like in shape.
Creator: Artist Unknown; Measurements: 2.75 x 1.5 in.
A green jade stone sculpture of the seated buddha with hands holding a stupa form in front of his stomach. The stone has hints of yellow veining throughout.
Creator: Artist Unknown; Measurements: 8 x 4.25x 1.75 in.
Creator: Artist Unknown; Measurements: 12 x 5 in.
Rectangular hanging scroll with writing in black Chinese characters over neutral-toned paper. The characters make up the shape of Amida Buddha.
Creator: Artist Unknown; Date: 1750 – 1850 CE; Measurements: 19.75 x 6.75 x 13.25 in.
Standard Frontal View of Chang E
A sitting figure with lightly colored skin wearing a gold crown. The figure wears an ornate red and green garment. The hands are oriented in a gesture with the left hand hanging over the right one.
Creator: Artist Unknown; Measurements: 37.5 x 24 x 18 in.