Bronze Buddha, Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat Period, Xth - XIIIth Century

Origin: Cambodia
Period: Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat Period , Xth-XIII century
Dimensions: 10.4 x 3 cm
Material: Bronze
Provenance: Former private collection

The Buddha is represented standing in position samabhanga on a square base. The hands perform the gesture gesture or Vitarka Mudra, thumb and index finger of each hand joining together. He is dressed in the pasarasanga glued to the body and the long monastic mantle, or samgathi, covering the left shoulder. The Awakened is richly dressed like a Chakravartin (universal ruler). His wrists and ankles are decorated with bracelets, a wide belt with floral motifs encloses the waist, a large breastplate resting on his chest and a tiara adorns his head. The face has almond eyes framing a thin and short nose, the latter overhanging a mouth sketching a smile. The ears have lobes distended by the weight of the jewels that the Buddha used to wear as a prince, the forehead is raised by the urn (originally a tuft of white hair swirling between the two eyes), the skull is surmounted by usnisa, treated here conical parch, characteristic of the Khmer statuary