Ancient Kingdom Of Siam, 18th-19th Century, Large Buddha / Monk In Lacquered And Gilded Bronze

Kingdom of Siam
18th-19th century

°°° Price can be reasonably negotiated °°°

The Buddha is represented seated on a high stepped base, the lower part of it presents four stylized nagas with a Buddhist symbol in its center, its upper part is decorated with a series of flaming mandorlas formerly decorated with beads (mostly lacunar). The Awakened One is in sattvaparyanka position, the right leg resting on the left leg (cast defect), the right hand placed on the knee, the fingers pointed towards the ground in bumisparsha mudra position, the left hand placed in his lap holding on to originally an attribute (certainly a large fan). He is dressed in the sangathi and the uttarasangha placed on the body leaving the right shoulder uncovered, a section of the fabric placed on the left shoulder extending towards the navel. The very soft face is characterized by fine, perfectly rounded eyebrow arches overlooking large, almost closed almond-shaped eyes in an attitude of deep interiority. An aquiline nose with dilated nostrils overlooks a mouth with thin lips hinting at a slight smile, the latter above a small prognathous chin, the neck presenting the three classic folds of beauty. The skull is covered with a multitude of small spikes, the ears with lobes distended by the weight of the jewelry that the Buddha wore as a prince at the court of King Suddhodana.

Opinions differ regarding the representation of our statue. Some see it as the image of a monk or one of the Buddha's disciples, arguing that since the skull does not have an ushnisha, it cannot therefore be a representation of the Awakened One. Other opinions affirm on the contrary that we would indeed be in the presence of an image of the Blessed One, the absence of cranial protuberance being justified by a European influence having the concern to represent the Buddha in a more realistic way.

Lacquered and gilded bronze
42 x 27.7 cm
Casting defect, visible accidents, wear and tear
Private collection

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