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Ancient Religions gallery
Gallery
Ancient Religions
Masterpieces of sculpture, painting, and ritual objects trace the spread of the grand religions of India – Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, across trade routes from India to China, and on to Southeast Asia.
Ancient Religions gallery
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Free for Singaporeans & PRs. Ticketing charges for tourists apply.

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5 min walk from Raffles Place MRT Station

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Gallery Overview

India gave rise to Hinduism and Buddhism, which spread throughout Asia, and also Jainism. Jainism has been continuously practised in India since at least the 6th century BC, but it never became popular outside India. Jain art relates stylistically to Buddhist and Hindu art.

As Hinduism and Buddhism spread, artists borrowed ideas and assimilated familiar local concepts to create new forms. Concepts that resonated most with each local community became more emphasised. The art produced to support the religions evolved from Indian models, but styles unique to each culture developed. By the 8th century, Hinduism and Buddhism were practised in much of Southeast Asia.

Many religious concepts and attributes of deities are mystical and unfathomable. Since the gods are thought to be ever-present, they can take on many different forms. So how does an artist create an image that expresses all these things? Sometimes they give the deity a relatable human form, but with attributes to show divinity and superhuman power. Other times, they might use abstract and symbolic imagery to explain what the god or goddess represents.

Relief of Buddha’s descent from the Trayastrimsha Heaven
Buddha’s descent from the Trayastrimsha Heaven
Gandhara, 3rd or 4th century
Schist, height 55cm

This relief panel shows a remarkable amount of lively detail. It was once part of a series on a stupa chronicling the life of the Buddha. The Buddha went to the Heaven of the 33 Gods (Trayastrimsha) to preach the law to his mother. In the three stages of his descent shown here, he is flanked by the Hindu Gods Brahma and Indra.

Jina
Jina
India, Uttar Pradesh or Bihar,
6th or 7th century
Bronze, height 46.5cm

This Jina stand in the posture of body abandonment (kayotsarga), an austere form of mediation. The Jina's nakedness (from the Digambara sect of Jainism) illustrates his past renunciation of earthy material comforts. Very few Jain bronze images have survived from this early period. The nimbus with small curling flames is found in later images in the Pala period of India (8th-12th century), and in Javanese bronze figure from the 9th century.

Shi Hou Guanyin
Shi Hou Guanyin
China, 14th of 15th century
Bronze, height 52.7cm
Acquired with funds from the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple

The presence of a tiny figure of Amitabha Buddha seated in the headdress identifies this figure as Guanyin. The lion is her because its roar ("Simhanada") symbolises the force of enlightenment. Depictions like this developed around the 11th or 12th century in India, where they were called Simhanada Avalokiteshvara. The earliest Chinese examples, called Shi Hou Guanyin, are dated to the 12th century.

Vajradhara and Prajna
Vajradhara and Prajna
Nepal or Tibet, 14th or 15th century
Glided copper alloy,
height 22.8cm

Vajradhara, which means "holding a vajra" (thunderbolt), represents the highest state of enlightenment. Here he is shown in union with Prajna, a female principle who symbolises wisdom. Union with her represents the attainment of knowledge. Vajradhara is a Buddha in Esoteric Buddhism (also called Vajrayana and Tantric Buddhism).


OTHER GALLERIES
  • Gallery
    Christian Art
    As Christianity spread across Asia, new works of art were required to convey Christian stories, embellish churches, and motivate new converts.
  • Gallery
    Islamic Art
    Exquisite works of religious art produced by and for Islamic faithful across Asia, with a main focus on Southeast Asia, show how global notions of Islamic art were adapted across the region to create unique visual forms that reflect indigenous influences.
  • Gallery
    Ancestors and Rituals
    Ancestors and Rituals examines the ancestral and ritualistic beliefs of traditional societies, including some of the most remote communities in Southeast Asia. The objects on display include some of ACM’s oldest collections – originally in the old Raffles Library and Museum.
  • Gallery
    Scholars

    For centuries, the scholar represented an ideal in Chinese culture. Great respect was accorded to individuals who could read classical texts, write and paint, play music, pursue academic studies, and demonstrate elegance and grace. Whether a civil servant, a successful merchant, or an overseas Chinese, learned individuals played a key role in Chinese culture.

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Last Updated on 01 Jun 2020

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