BURMA, late Amarapura style, circa 1820-1850 - Lot 27

BURMA, late Amarapura style, circa 1820-1850 Seated Buddha in meditation posture, performing the earth witnessing mudra (bhumisparsha mudra), his right hand touching the ground. The calm face, with closed eyes, shows a marked inner expression. The ears are distended, and the hairstyle is made up of small curls topped by a central protuberance. The whole rests on a high pedestal in the shape of blossoming lotus petals, decorated at the base with a frieze of incised Burmese inscriptions. On the reverse side, a cavity carved into the wood was probably intended to hold votive offerings, relics or paritta (protective texts rolled onto leaves), according to a ritual practice well attested in early Burmese sculpture. Black lacquered wood with remains of gilding. Height Height : 66 cm Width : 35 cm Minor cracks and chips Historical context : This sculpture belongs to the late Amarapura style, characterized by fine craftsmanship, a serene face with idealized features, curly hair and an ornate pedestal. These works, produced in the former royal capital of Amarapura, mark the transition to the Mandalay style. The gesture of taking the earth as witness, the lotus petals and the presence of a votive receptacle on the reverse underline the ritual vocation of this Buddhist figure, probably destined for a domestic or monastic altar.