Big Buddha. Shan States. Burma. 18th/19th century.

Big Buddha. Shan States. Burma. 18th/19th century.
Carved wood.
Original patina.
The back of the pedestal is hollow to contain relics.
Good state of preservation.
Measurements: 75 x 40 x 29 cm.

Buddha in carved and gilded wood. It stands out for its beauty and stylized modeling. The figure sits on a lotus-shaped pedestal throne, which denotes a skilled craftsman's hand. The facial features show a peaceful inner mood connoted with a gentle smile. The Buddha performs a mudra symbolizing that he takes the earth as his witness. It is the so-called Bhumisparsa mudra, or gesture of touching the earth. It alludes to the moment in which the Buddha solved the problem of ending suffering when he was under the tree in Bodhi-Gaya. We can also identify numerous lakshana, iconographic symbols that identify the Buddhas. The first we see is the bun hairstyle, symbol of meditation, of spiritual life (with the Ushnisha inspired by a stupa). Together with the half-closed eyes, a serene face is completed by the sketched smile, symbol of the balance and serenity of a perfect being. The elongated earlobes allude to the large earrings worn by members of the upper classes in India at the time of Sakyamuni, and represent the concepts of greatness, nobility and wisdom.