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Burma, 19th century - Buddha in ancient bronze

Burma, 19th century
Buddha in ancient bronze
Dimensions: 10 X 4.5 cm
Weight: 182 g
Provenance: Old private collection

The name of the expert will be communicated upon request.

The Buddha is represented sitting legs closely crossed in the attitude of the lotus (padmaparyanka), on a circular base. He is represented in a position of taking the Earth as witness (Bhusmiparsa Mudra), his left hand in his lap, his right hand pointed towards the ground. He is protected by a golden mandorla evoking Naga Mucilindala. The right shoulder is bared and reveals the chest. The face has large half-closed eyes underneath raised eyebrows.
A long, slender nose surmounts a small mouth with a faint half-smile. The ears have their lobes distended by the weight of ornaments that the Buddha, as a prince, used to wear. The top of the skull is surmounted by a protuberance (usnisa) and a flamed ornament (rasmi) shaped like a lotus bud.

The scene represented here refers to a fundamental episode in the life of the Awakened: demonic forces have just tried to overthrow him because their king, Mara, wants to claim his place under the tree of the Bodhi. While these forces proclaim the power of their master, Mara requires the Buddha to produce a witness to his spiritual awakening. The Buddha is content to touch the ground with his right hand, and the Earth immediately responds "I am a witness". Defeated, Mara and his henchmen disappear. The morning star appears in the sky. This moment of supreme enlightenment is the founding experience of the whole Buddhist tradition.

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