HOTUNG | 何東 The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung | Part II: Evening
HOTUNG | 何東 The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung | Part II: Evening
A large bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Thailand, U-Thong style, circa 14th century | 泰國，烏通風格，約十四世紀 銅釋迦摩尼坐像
Auction Closed
December 7, 05:45 PM GMT
Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A large bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha
Thailand, U-Thong style, circa 14th century
泰國，烏通風格，約十四世紀 銅釋迦摩尼坐像
seated in sattvasana on a waisted lotus throne with traces of gilding, his hands in bhumisparsaand dhyana mudra, fine foliate lozenges incised on the palms and soles of the feet, wearing a sanghali leaving his right arm uncovered, a sash over his left shoulder with pleated terminals in relief at the rear and on the stomach, the face with downcast meditative expression, with high eyebrows, slender semi-circular eyes and pronounced lips, the elongated ears with pierced lobes, the hair tightly curled, the usnisa with flamiform finial, traces of gilding on the hair and ears, the olive green patina with areas of speckling and intermittent traces of gilding
Height 111cm., 43 ¾in.
The style of this large and powerfully cast representation of Shakyamuni Buddha is named after Prince U-THong of Ayutthaya (1314-59), who annexed territory from the northern regions of the Khmer empire. The style bears many Lopburi characteristics, such as the squareness of the face, treatment of the hair and distinct modelling of the lips.
The Buddha is depicted seated in sattvasana on a large waisted lotus throne, his hands held in bhumisparsha mudra. This symbolises the moment that he attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree, when he summoned the earth goddess, Sthavara, to bear witness to his attainment of enlightenment. His face is beautifully cast in an expression of serene meditation, with downcast eyes framed on the sensitively delineated face with high eyebrows, slender semi-circular eyes and carefully pronounced lips.
Only a small number of U-Thong period bronzes from the early phase is recorded in any private or museum collection. A smaller figure of Buddha (49cm) with closely related stylistic details is in the National Museum, Bangkok. See also a smaller U-Thong style bronze figure of the Buddha, depicted seated without a base, illustrated in A. Bassoul, Human and Divine - The Hindu and Buddhist Iconography of Southeast Asian Art from the Claire and Aziz Bassoul Collection, Beirut 2006, pp.222-223, pl. 80, and sold at Christie's Paris, 6th December 2007, lot 402.