173 - MONGOLIAN BRONZE GILT BUDDHA 18TH CENTURY

MONGOLIAN BRONZE GILT BUDDHA 18TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 21 cm Wide 15 cm Depth 10 cm Weight: 2889 grams A gilt figure of the Buddha seated cross-legged on a substantial double-lotus pedestal. The right hand reaches down across the knee in the earth-touching gesture, while the left rests open in the lap. A light robe passes over one shoulder, leaving much of the chest exposed, and the calm face is framed by elongated earlobes and a tightly curled coiffure rising to a small finial. The luminous gilded surface is interrupted by darker passages around the hair, facial features and folds, accentuating the sculpture's restrained modelling. The earth-touching gesture recalls the moment when the Buddha called the earth to witness his awakening, an image of steadfastness in the face of temptation and doubt. The double-lotus base reinforces the figure's sacred character, lifting the composed body above a repeated rhythm of petals. Its devotional force lies in the clarity of the gesture and the balance between the polished, still figure and the emphatically ornamented pedestal.