The Bodhi tree and the protective snake, two primary motifs in Buddhist art, tell the tale of the Buddha’s journey toward Nirvana and the snake-like king, Mucilinda, who shielded him from the elements as he meditated. Starting in 200 B.C., this iconography promoted the human capacity for enlightenment and also the Buddhist pillars of rebirth and knowledge. The 140 items featured in “Tree & Serpent”—some of them newly excavated and never before made public—chronicle the transformation of India’s artistic landscape as well as the growth of Buddhism into one of the world’s great religions. Full of important new discoveries, this spectacular exhibition was made possible by contributions from a dozen lenders across India, the U.K., Europe, and the U.S. —Nyla Gilstrap