China, Northern Wei dynasty (386-534) / c. 500 CE
Ascetic Holding a Skull
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Ascetic Holding a Skull as sculpture (China, Northern Wei dynasty (386-534) · c. 500 CE).
This grimacing figure has a potbelly protruding between the hem of his short jacket and fringed skirt ( dhoti ).
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as gilt bronze.
The museum's collection notes: The figure holding the skull has been identified as Mrgasirsa, who sought Buddha’s teaching on how to determine the karma and transmigration of the arhats. Mrgasirsa appears with Vasistha in some of the wall paintings of the Mogao grottoes in Dunhuang.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtAscetic Holding a SkullOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.