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Lot Essay
The fertile valleys of Thailand near the base of the River Chao Phraya produced not only great agricultural resources, but also some of the region’s most graceful and pristine works of art. Within the local context of the dominant Theravada school of Buddhism, which emphasized the singularity of the Buddha Shakyamuni, bronze sculptures from this area demonstrate a remarkably cohesive style that is highly particular to the region and the period. As unifying features, the Buddha is clad in the humble dress of a religious renunciant, with the thin garment clinging closely to the body to reveal the delicate proportions and graceful contour that lies beneath. His face is characterized by high cheekbones, full lips, prominent eyes, and curved brows that form a V-shape at the bridge of the nose. His hair is arranged in thick spiral-curls that rise over the ushnisha, the Buddha’s sacred cranial protuberance.
The hands may be poised in a number of possible arrangements; here the left reaches down in varadamudra, the gesture of bestowing blessings, and the right is raised with the forefinger and thumb joined in vitarkamudra, the gesture of explication. Hands are proportionally emphasized with respect to the body, as if to show that the Buddha is in fact engaged in the activities of giving blessings or transmitting teachings, though his ethereal appearance might suggest his only task is meditation. The delicate curl of the fingers, here most visible in the right hand, gently resembles the characteristic “plucking gesture” of the renowned bronzes from the Prakhon Chai area (see lot 1067), which flourished at the same time as the Dvaravati kingdom in the riverine valleys.
Further emphasizing the presence of the Buddha in the world of the devotee, the figure is depicted as if in motion, stepping with the left foot forward while the hem of the robe gently sways to the side in response. This stance, which draws upon the classic tribhanga posture of Indian sculpture, also presages the famous “Walking Buddhas” of Thailand that would grow prominent many centuries later. The bronze caster has captured the youthful appearance of a Buddha that gives spiritual themes imported from India a unique and highly refined local expressivity.
This sculpture was part of the distinguished group of three Southeast Asian bronzes that sat on the corner of Mr. Ellsworth’s desk (see lots 28 and 1067).
The hands may be poised in a number of possible arrangements; here the left reaches down in varadamudra, the gesture of bestowing blessings, and the right is raised with the forefinger and thumb joined in vitarkamudra, the gesture of explication. Hands are proportionally emphasized with respect to the body, as if to show that the Buddha is in fact engaged in the activities of giving blessings or transmitting teachings, though his ethereal appearance might suggest his only task is meditation. The delicate curl of the fingers, here most visible in the right hand, gently resembles the characteristic “plucking gesture” of the renowned bronzes from the Prakhon Chai area (see lot 1067), which flourished at the same time as the Dvaravati kingdom in the riverine valleys.
Further emphasizing the presence of the Buddha in the world of the devotee, the figure is depicted as if in motion, stepping with the left foot forward while the hem of the robe gently sways to the side in response. This stance, which draws upon the classic tribhanga posture of Indian sculpture, also presages the famous “Walking Buddhas” of Thailand that would grow prominent many centuries later. The bronze caster has captured the youthful appearance of a Buddha that gives spiritual themes imported from India a unique and highly refined local expressivity.
This sculpture was part of the distinguished group of three Southeast Asian bronzes that sat on the corner of Mr. Ellsworth’s desk (see lots 28 and 1067).