A large gilt-bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni. Ming dynasty, 17th century
A large gilt-bronze figure of Buddha Amitabha seated in meditation on a separately cast lotus base with four tiers of petals issuing from an openwork foot of scrolls, both hands in dhyana mudra above the feet, spiky curls covering the head and domed ushnisha with a large urna in front, the garment with finely engraved borders covers both shoulders and leaves the chest bear to reveal a wan symbol. Traces of gilded lacquer. Ming dynasty, 16th/17th century.
Height 66 cm
On the basis of the simple garment covering both shoulders, the complete lack of jewellery and the hands held in the mudra of meditation (dhyana) this figure can be identified as Buddha Shakyamuni. He is represented in the pure Han-Chinese style, without any iconographic or stylistic influence of the Tantric or Tibetan Buddhism prevalent at the imperial court.
Such sculptures were generally donated to a Buddhist temple by private persons. They were placed on the large wooden altar which displayed the main figures of worship, usually a triad of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. To the sides and in front of them smaller Buddhist figures were randomly arranged. In this case the Buddha Shakyamuni could also have been flanked by his two disciples Ananda and Kashyapa.
明16/17世紀 銅鎏金释迦摩尼坐像
來源：奧地利私人收藏
Provenance
Old private collection, Austria