Buddha, seated in the padmasana pose, in bhumisparsa mudra

Accession Number
1995/1.58

Title
Buddha, seated in the padmasana pose, in bhumisparsa mudra

Artist(s)

Object Creation Date
19th century

Medium & Support
bronze

Dimensions
16 1/8 in. x 11 in. x 7 1/2 in. ( 41 cm x 28 cm x 19 cm )

Credit Line
Bequest of Thakur Rup Chand

Subject matter
The Buddha in bhumisparsa mudra (the gesture of touching the earth with his right hand, palm inward), signaling his victory over Mara.

Physical Description
A hollow cast bronze sculpture of the Buddha, including a lotus base. The bronze has a dark, shiny patina over most of its surface.
The Buddha sits with his legs crossed in the padmasana pose; his right hand reaches down, palm inwards, to touch the earth, in an elegant gesture with just the tip of his third finger making contact, while his right hand rests in his lap. His torso is tall and erect. His dhoti (a skirt-like garment) is tied high on his torso, while his outer robe covers his left shoulder completely and just brushes against his right shoulder. His face is shaped like a tall and narrow "U," with wide, gently arching brows, downcast eyes under swelling lids, a long and high nose, and full, cupid's-bow lips. The urna, an auspicious mark on his forehead, is indicated here by a small bump with an incised outline. His hair is arranged in rows of snail-shell curls, which are repeated in a larger size on his ushnisha, culminating in a lotus bud.
The upward-pointing lotus petals on the dais are in high relief, with curling tips.

Primary Object Classification
Sculpture

Primary Object Type
casting

Additional Object Classification(s)
Ritual Object

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
Buddhas (visual works)
Buddhism
Himalayan
icons (devotional images)
lotus (motif)

1 Related Resource

Buddhism
(Part of 2 Learning Collections)

& Author Notes

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