An unusually slender, large Buddha sculpture, in the gesture of touching the earth (‘Bhumisparsa Mudra’) sitting on a tall, tetragonal throne. With small head and ‘triangular’ face in the typical style of the Shan minority, in eastern Burma. With open eyes, smooth hairstyle and a tall, pointed bud-form ‘flame’ (‘Ushnisha’) on the top of his head. The seat of the throne is decorated with a running vine relief pattern, and on the front side of the socle there is a relief which projects three-dimensionally on both sides, showing two intersecting, mythical Naga snakes as protective symbol. The entire sculpture is carved from a single piece of very hard, heavy wood and is painted with black-brown lacquer. The figure of the Buddha, the decorative band of vines and both protective Naga snakes were originally painted over with gold lacquer. Remains of this partial gold painting are still clearly noticeable. The point of the ‘flame’ above, the head of the left and the ‘horn’ of the right Naga snake have been broken and were restored (glued). Some delicate age-related cracks to the base and the underside of the figure. Otherwise no damage. H: 78 cm, W: 36 cm. 19th to early 20th century.

Provenance: Austrian Private Collection.