269 - SEATED BRONZE BUDDHA THAILAND RATTANAKOSIN 1850'S

SEATED BRONZE BUDDHA THAILAND RATTANAKOSIN 1850'S Dimensions: Height 19,7 cm Wide 15 cm Depth 11 cm Weight: 1575 grams A Thai bronze Buddha seated in vajrasana on an unusually elaborate stepped throne. The right hand reaches downward in bhumisparsha mudra, the earth-touching gesture, while the left rests in meditation in the lap. A flame finial crowns the ushnisha, and rows of small subsidiary Buddha figures populate the terraces below the principal image. Traces of black lacquer and gilding remain across the surface. The earth-touching gesture refers to the decisive moment of the Buddha's enlightenment, when he called the earth to witness his victory over Mara. By repeating smaller sacred figures across the pedestal, the composition expands the central image into a more complex devotional ensemble, turning the throne itself into an active field of Buddhist imagery. The strongly pyramidal silhouette and layered base are characteristic of the ornate visual vocabulary associated with Rattanakosin-period religious art. Areas of worn gilding and devotional handling give the bronze a textured surface while preserving the clarity of the central Buddha.