A GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF THE PENSIVE BODHISATTVA, Maitreya, modelled in seated position with one leg folded over his left knee, with his right hand raised to a side cheek, 12cm highKnown as ‘National Treasure 83’ and housed in the National Museum of Korea, a gilt bronze sculpture of the Bodhisattva seated with his right leg crossed over his left and his right hand lifted to his face, fingers lightly touching his cheek. The sculpture dates from the late 6th - early 7th century and this present example is a miniature version of the country's most treasured possession. The pose and gesture of the figure is representative of a pan-Asian iconography that has come to be defined as the ‘pensive’ pose. It gained popularity in Korea in the sixth and seventh centuries, particularly due to the growing influence of Chinese Buddhist archetypes. Religious iconography and imagery are quite common in the Buddhist tradition. As a polytheistic faith, representations abound for the many gods and goddesses. The Bodhisattva figure is commonly depicted, as unlike the Buddha he has not reached full enlightenment beyond mortal concerns. Instead they remain accessible within the phenomenal world to help guide their followers. The creation of small-scale reproductions of the larger bronze in the Korean National museum, exemplifies this function of the Bodhisattva as the interceptor on the behalf of the faithful. In Korea and Japan, Bodhisattva, are identified as Maitreya, the figure who will become the teaching Buddha in the next era. The importance and divine wisdom of the figure is perfectly captured, even in this miniature rendering, in the immense stillness of the pose. However, the constant engagement with the world is embodied in the slight movement suggested by the fingers touching the cheek, the relationship to the natural world is not severed as it is through this lived experience, for the Buddhist followers, that they will eventually reach the goal of enlightenment.