Asuka period (7th century)
Donated by the Homma family
Believed to have been cast around 1,300 years ago, this bronze standing Buddhist statue depicts and celebrates the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha. While statues of the infant Buddha usually depict him with child-like form and face with his right hand raised above his head, this statue differs in that it has slender limbs and a long face, and its right hand is gently curved, touching its head. In this respect, it is a historically valuable addition to depictions of the infant Buddha.