The period of the Northern Wei dynasty was crucial to the development of Buddhist art in China. Prior to this there was a heavy reliance on foreign-derived models, especially from India, the birthplace of Buddhism. During the fifth and sixth centuries Chinese artists began to experiment and produced new styles unique to the region. This was made possible because the Northern Wei dynasty lent its support to the Buddhist faith. The cave sites at Yungang and Longmen attest to the flourishing of Buddhist piety and it has been estimated that by the sixth century there were over 30,000 monasteries in Northern China. Multiple images of the Buddha and his attendants were carved in stone, wood and clay.This rectangular brick tile comes from a large group that probably formed the interior wall of a religious foundation or shrine. It is moulded from a dark grey clay that was fired and then painted. The image of a standing Buddha is carved in low relief within a rectangular frame. Traces of the original red pigment are still visible in the niche. A circular mandorla frames the head which displays a large ushnisha, symbolic of the Buddha’s spiritual wisdom. The drapery covers both shoulders and in arranged in semi-circular pleats. The left hand holds an unidentifiable object and the right is raised in the gesture of preaching. Considerable care has been taken to illustrate the width of the sleeve at the Buddha’s right elbow. It is unusual for such architectural fragments to survive from such an early period and it will appeal to all those fascinated by the history of Buddhism. - (AM.0238)

Antiquities
Ancient Asian