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12th Century Bronze Nagapattinam Seated Buddha browse these categories for related items... All Items: Archives: Pre 1492: item # 843247 Please refer to our stock # 1089 when inquiring.
Boran Asian Art Grays, 1-7 Davies Mews, Mayfair, London, W1 0044 (0)795 422 8735 Guest Book SOLD |
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Details: A rare and attractive 12th century Chola period bronze image of the seated Buddha from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. The Buddha is sitting in the half lotus posture (Satvaparyankasana), his right leg over his left upon an elaborate multi tiered throne supporting an ornate double lotus pedestal reminiscent of 9th to 10th century Pala pieces. His hands are placed in his lap in the attitude of meditation (Samadhimudra or Dhyanamudra). His monastic garments are arranged so as to leave the right shoulder bare, the usual manner for a seated Theravada Buddha image in meditation. The cranial protuberance (ushnisha) is very low, however the radiance is full and typically flaming. The round mark between the eyebrows, the urna is one of Buddha’s superhuman markings (Lakshanas)and in this case is depicted as a circular wisp of hair, quite rare on similar contemporary Sinhalese images. His face radiates the profound happiness of supreme knowledge and wisdom only attained with enlightenment. Buddhist images from the Chola period are much scarcer than their Hindu counterparts. Sculptures such as this one, however, illustrate the continuation of Buddhism in South India after the rise of Hinduism. Stylistically Nagapattinam Buddha images bear a very close affinity with images of the same period from nieghbouring Sri Lanka. Nagapattinam was an important centre for Buddhist art in South India during the Chola period, long after Buddhism had gone into decline in much of India. Nagapattinam had the same significance for Tamil as Nalanda did for Bihar and the Buddhist Pala dynasty. Nagapattinam was an important centre of Buddhist learning and a favourite place of pilgrimage. It was visited in the thirteenth century by Marco Polo who left us a detailed record of the site. Age: 12th Century (Chola Period). Height: 12.5 cm.
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