Exhibition: In the steps of the Buddha, Melbourne

[caption id="attachment_2835" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Detail of Sho-Kannon Bosatsu, Japan, 12th century"][/caption] The exhibition, In the steps of the Buddha - held at the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, features 80 Buddhist and Hindu works of art drawn from the museum's collection. This exhibition explores the development of Buddhist imagery across Asia. Objects displayed range from early Buddhist works created in India in the 2nd - 4th centuries CE to a contemporary Zen Buddhist ink and brush painting in the Chinese tradition. [caption id="attachment_2836" align="alignleft" width="130" caption="Mon Buddha, 9th century"][/caption]   In the steps of the Buddha illustrates different artistic traditions associated with the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist schools. The exhibition presents a wide range of Buddhist works of art including sculptures of the Buddha, bodhisattvas and Buddhist deities in a variety of media like bronze, wood, clay and lacquer. Aside from sculptures, there are ritual items, pilgrimage souvenirs, paintings, masks and manuscript covers. These artefacts come from a variety of Asian countries like  India, Thailand, Mynmar, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, China, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.