large Antique Burmese Lacquered Gilded Wood Buddha Burma 19th Century Mandalay P
Large, authentic, antique Burmese lacquered gilded statue of the crowned Shakyamuni Buddha, 19th Century, Mandalay period, Burma.
The statue is finely hand-carved in wood and covered with a reddish-brown lacquer highlighted with gold and encrusted with colored glass fragments.
His eyes with a white sclera and a black pupil are made of a single piece of shaped glass.
Buddha is depicted seated on a shaped plinth wearing a monastic robe; his hands are in bhumisparsa mudra, the hair worked in tight curls surmounted by the ushnisha, adorned with glass jewels crown band at the hairline.
Bhumisparsa mudra represents the moment just prior to enlightenment. The Buddha sits in meditation, his left hand in his lap with palm upright, and his right-hand palm is downward touching the earth. At the moment, just before Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, the demon Mara viciously attacked him with his troops of monsters attempting to scare him away from his seat under the bodhi tree. However, the Buddha-to-be remained. Mara claimed that his spiritual deeds were greater than Siddhartha's challenging the Buddha-to-be. Then Siddhartha extended his right hand to touch the earth, Mara disappeared, and Siddhartha achieved enlightenment.
REFERENCES: A related Burmese brawn lacquered gilded statue of crowned Shakyamuni Buddha is published in the book: "Burmese Buddhist Sculpture: The Johan Moeger Collection" by Otto Karow, which also can be viewed online. Please see the link below.
https://khmerimagery.blogspot.com/2016/10/cambodias-wooden-buddha-statues_27.html
CONDITION: Shows its age and use, some age-related cracks due to the age-drying of the wood and lacquer (as common in the antique lacquered wood sculptures).
The lacquer surface is distressed, some wear to the gold gilding, some losses in the glass incrustation.
In its original condition with an old patina, free of repairs or restorations.
MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 52 cm (20.5 inches)
Length: 41 cm (16.1 inches)
Width: 29 cm (11.4 inches)
WEIGHT: 20lb = 9.07kg