Antique Jeweled Buddha Jambupati, Burma/Myanmar (3286D)

Description

Throughout Burma/Myanmar Shakyamuni Buddha was depicted in lavish royal robes to illustrate the traditional story of King Jambupati and the Buddha. In traditional Theravada Buddhism, Buddha Statues are depicted in simple monks-robes as he renounced worldly goods and desires and rejected his princely heritage. Legend states the haughty King wished to be the world’s most powerful ruler world and threatened Buddha’s follower King Bimbisara. The Buddha appealed to Jambupati to forsake his evil ways and, when he refused, Buddha used his magical powers to turn himself into a “king-of-kings. Overwhelmed by the Buddha’s magnificence, the king renounced his throne and attained enlightenment as Buddha’s disciple.

Buddha is depicted here as a “King of Kings in a lavish gilt court attire and elaborate faceted crown with huge butterfly-shaped flanges. His spiritual brilliance is further emphasized by the dazzling gilt covering his body and the small multi-colored bejeweled cut glass pieces inset on the fillet band, flanges, and his kingly garment.  The use of inset mirror pieces (hmaw-zar) and colored glass on the crown, chest band, and robe edges is a classic tradition of the Konbaung-era (1752–1885) which was Myanmar’s final imperial age.  This was meant to catch temple candlelight and make the Buddha look brilliantly luminous.

A large cone-shaped finial emerges from his ushnisha, and his pendulous ears frame his slightly smiling face. He looks directly at onlookers to demonstrate his strong spiritual and material power seated in bhumisparsha, the Earth Witnessing gesture.  He sits in padmasana and left hand in his lap in meditation (dhyana mudra) and reaches his oversized right hand with even-lengthened fingers over his knee to touch the earth in to summon the demon-king Mara, who sought to deny him his awakening, to witness his enlightenment. He sits on a very high multi-tiered throne with inset bands of cut glass rimmed by gold edges and set in a crimson base, considered a sign of respect for his royal and spiritual position, especially in Southeast Asia where rulers had been revered as semi-divine figures. The rear of the throne features an intentional “stepped altar” cutout, allowing the sculpture to interlock over an elevated shrine tier. 

This story reinforces the belief that even the most powerful monarch must defer to and worship the Buddha, the “King of Kings.” The rare piece is in excellent condition with almost all the lacquer and inset glass and mirror decorations extant, while the bottom of the throne is slightly jagged reflecting its age and use. 

AI rates this piece as  Solid Mid-to-High Tier Collectors  Value for the following reasons:

This rare and remarkable carving displays complexity and craftsmanship with intricate glass and mirror mosaic work, Finding a piece where the thayo lacquer paste has securely held most of its mirrored borders dramatically increases its desirability. It has a multi-component construction with  the side crown wings carved independently and attached to the central lacquered head. The throne’s rear has a stepped altar cutout, enabling the piece to interlock over the elevated tier of the base. The interplay between the brilliant gold leaf on the face, torso, and crown flanges against the dark, oxidized lacquer on the lower base sections gives it exceptional contrast and majestic presence.