Head of a buddha

This large head, once attached to the principal figure in the main cave of the Leigutai complex at Longmen, is a fine example of sculpture produced with the support of the Tang court. Despite its large scale, the head was sensitively rendered and finely finished, with great care given to details such as the hair, the eyes, and the fullness of the cheeks. The Buddhist caves at Longmen were favored by Tang imperial patrons due to the caves' proximity to Luoyang, the dynasty's secondary capital.