Vintage Bronze Earth Witnessing Buddha, Burma/Myanmar

Description

A Buddha statue or painting is called a Buddharupa, in Sanskrit meaning “the form of an Enlightened One.” This statue portrays the historical Shakyamuni Buddha sitting in bhumisparsha (Earth Touching mudra) which shows his inner strength at the moment of his enlightenment one of the most common  poses of Burmese Buddhas. His legs are in padmasana with the exposed soles of his bare feet.  He displaying many characteristics of the Burmese Mandalay style. His soft youthfully sweet face with slightly smiling lips is framed by a filet headband of Thai origin that separates the forehead from the hair, his pendulous ears signifying his enlightenment extend to his shoulders and three rings at the neck indicate the three states of existence. His almond-shaped eyes are inlaid with glass as he gazes downward under arched eyebrows that meet at the bridge of his nose.  His right hand with elongated even-lengthened fingers reaches to touch the earth. Many of the 32 lakshanas, the auspicious traits of the Buddha, are displayed: his upright body; well-formed nose; fine hair with snail-crowned curls, (shwebo thorns); elongated body, face, arms, fingers and hands and well-rounded shoulders in soft skin and gently curved protuberance on the top of the head (ushnisha) as a knot of hair indicating of his princely origins and a mark of a superior being.  He wears the simple Theravada two-part monks robes is in the ‘open’ mode’ with the right shoulder bare, outer robe (sanghati) flowing over his shoulder and the bottom garment flaring out elegantly as he sits on an undecorated pedestal.Buddha statues  were often commissioned by pious devotees for donation to a temple or monastery to gain  merit to assure good karma. In Southeast Asia a Buddha image is treated with special reverence, kept  high in a place of honor, and devotees’ heads cannot be higher than the Buddha’s head. When spoken of, a statue is referred to in royal terms, and every image, no matter how small, is believed to have energy and a life of its own.  Made in the 20th century using the lost wax process in which the mold is destroyed, this metalwork piece is a one-of-a-kind exquisite work of art and is in excellent condition.