Chinese Marble Buddhist Stele

Two Buddhas in two arched niches, sharing one enormous tree.

This Buddhist stele comes from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. It is marble. Images of the Buddha beneath trees recall the enlightenment beneath the bodhi tree, a scene central to Buddhist art across Asia. Here two seated Buddhas, each with a halo and raised hand, sit in adjoining arches formed by the trunks and branches of trees. Attendants stand between them, and guardians appear at each end. Above, the foliage is rendered as dense clusters of round leaves, rising to a sloped top. It is 25 inches wide and 21.5 high.

The shade, apparently, is ample for all.