Head of Pensive Bodhisattva

Just below the right cheek are the slight remnants of fingers holding the chin, which leads one to presume that this head once belonged to a statue of a pensive Bodhisattva. In the round and lump face, the eyes are lightly closed and the two lips are pressed against each other in a faint smile. Despite the lack of a body, this statue, which was excavated from Hwangnyongsa Temple site, Gyeongju, is regarded as one of the representative Bodhisattva statues of Silla, because of its friendly face and gentle smile, which vividly evoke a real person.