A GILT-LACQUERED BRONZE FIGURE OF SEATED BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, RATTANAKOSIN KINGDOMThailand, reign of King Rama III, 1824-1851. Seated in virasana on a stepped lotus base with petal and floral decoration, his hands resting in dhyana mudra above the lap, the close-fitting sanghati finely cast with diapered floral designs and embellished in ‘gesso’ conveying a lavishly embroidered cloth, finely inlaid with red glass. The face showing a meditative expression with downcast eyes inlaid in mother-of-pearl, arched eyebrows, and a subtle smile, flanked by long earlobes, the hair tightly arranged in small spikes and surmounted by a flaming ushnisha.Provenance: From an old German private collection, acquired before 2007.Condition: Very good condition, some wear and flaking to the gilt, light scratches, small nicks, few dents, some inlays lost, casting flaws, and signs of weathering.Weight: 20.5 kgDimensions: Height 67.7 cmThe flame is original to the statue but separately cast. (2)Buddha images wearing such patterned robes, a symbol of royalty, were introduced during the reign of King Rama III (reigned 1824-1851) and disappeared thereafter. It is thus most likely that this majestic sculpture was one such royalmission produced under King Rama III’s reign.Literatureparison:See further examples of Rattanakosin period gilt-lacquer bronze Buddha images discussed in Rod-Ari, The Buddha as Sacred Siamese King: Brocaded Buddhas of the Third Reign, The Walters Art Museum Journal, vol. 73, 2018, figs. 1-5.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s New York, 5 June 2004, lot 998Price: USD 4,541 or approx.EUR 6,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A Thai gilt-lacquered bronze figure of Buddha, late Rattanakosin period, 19th centuryExpert remark:pare the related pose and gilt-lacquered decoration. Note the similar size (73.5 cm).Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Los Angeles, 30 August 2021, lot 113Estimate: USD 8,000 or approx.EUR 8,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A gilt lacquer copper alloy figure of buddha, Thailand, Rattanakosin period, 19th centuryExpert remark:pare the related pose and gilt-lacquered decoration. Note the near-identical size (68.6 cm).