A BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, NORTHERN THAILAND, 17TH CENTURY

A BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, NORTHERN THAILAND, 17TH CENTURY
Seated in ardha padmasana on a raised pedestal, the right hand lowered in bhumisparsha mudra, the left held in dhyana mudra above his lap, dressed in tight-fitting monastic robes draped over his left shoulder. The serene face heavy-lidded eyes, arched brows, and full lips forming a benevolent smile, flanked by elongated earlobes, the hair arranged in tight spikes over the ushnisha surmounted by a flame ketumala.
Provenance:
From the collection of Godfried Wauters, who has been active in the Belgian trade for over 40 years. He has built a substantial art collection including Chinese and Buddhist sculptures, significantly expanding on the collection already built by his late father Gustaaf Wauters (1905-1992).
Condition:
Good condition with minor wear and casting flaws. Some losses, remnants of gilt, and signs of weathering and erosion. The bronze with a smooth dark patina.
Weight: 11.19 kg
Dimensions: Height 43 cm
The present bronze
exhibits typical iconographic and stylistic features of sculpture produced under the Ayutthaya period, however its distinctive facial features - comprised of a pointed jaw, wide lips, upswept eyes, high-arched brows, and broad forehead - are qualities which are diagnostic of the artistic traditions of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and regions near the Thai-Lao border.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni with similar facial features, 55 cm high, dated by inscription to 1540 or 1541, in the British Museum, registration number FBInd.5.a, illustrated by Zwalf (ed.), Buddhism: Art and Faith, New York, 1985, p. 181, no. 253.