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Burmese Arakan Bronze Crowned Buddha, 17th Century
About the Item
A gorgeous and refined Burmese crowned and adorned seated bronze Buddha, Kingdom of Arakan, Mrauk-U period, 17th century.
The Buddha is portrayed seated in vajrasana upon a high double lotus pedestal, hands in dhyana mudra, a ritual vessel resting in his upturned palms. He is festooned with jewelry – armlets, bracelets, anklets, a double necklace, a jeweled belt, and large earrings. His hair done up in a high chignon, covering the ushnisha, and topped by a stupa shaped finial.
The Buddha wears a large five pointed crown tied with ribbons that flare dramatically behind either ear, and a thin scarf wrapped around his shoulders that billows around him. The diaphanous fabric of his garment spread out gracefully in front of him.
This sculpture is reminiscent of Ming Dynasty Sino-Tibetan prototypes. The Buddha’s rounded, cherubic face is a direct reflection of Ming Dynasty images, while the double lotus base, with its beautifully cast petals and well defined beaded bands, finds complements in Sino-Tibetan bronzes of this period. The applied lacquer patina of rich greens and deep browns also has precedence in Ming Dynasty bronze figures.
In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, there would be no mistaking this figure - crowned and adorned, holding a sacred pot full of the elixir of life - as Amitayus, the Buddha of Longevity. However, in Theravada Buddhism, which the Kingdom of Arakan adhered to, there is no counterpart. He is simply a crowned Buddha. The idea and image of the crowned Buddha was an important reinforcement of the belief in the divinity of kings, as well as a reminder of Buddha’s role in the temporal realm.
Arakan sat at a crossroads of the Buddhist world, connecting India, China, Ceylon and Southeast Asia, so it is not totally surprising to find images seemingly at odds with accepted iconography, given the flow of people, goods, ideas, art and culture that passed through the kingdom during that period.
Provenance: Summers Family Collection, purchased in Yangon, 1974
For a similar, slightly earlier example, see the Crowned Buddha at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia, accession number 35.2000.
- Dimensions:Height: 20.75 in (52.71 cm)Width: 11.5 in (29.21 cm)Depth: 7.5 in (19.05 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:17th Century
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. The base somewhat rough. Two small patches of white paint to the back of the stature, as seen in photos.
- Seller Location:Austin, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU894714282841
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