A VERY RARE WOOD FIGURE OF BUDDHA, LUANG PRABANG STYLE, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

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A VERY RARE WOOD FIGURE OF BUDDHA, LUANG PRABANG STYLE, 17TH-18TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve Laos. Boldly carved standing in samabhanga on a tiered pedestal, with both arms hanging straight beside the legs and the hands extended. The figure is clad in a tight-fitting garment that reveals the contours of the stylized legs while leaving the torso exposed, devoid of ornament. The serene face finely modeled with heavy-lidded downcast eyes, arched brows, a slender nose, and full lips forming a calm smile, framed by long pendulous earlobes. The smooth hair is arranged in a tiered coiffure and surmounted by a tall flame. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 66.8 cm The Phra Bang is the most sacred image of the Buddha in Laos, and the city of Luang Prabang derives its name from this revered statue. Believed to have been cast from an alloy of bronze, silver, and gold, the image depicts the Buddha standing with both hands raised and facing forward in the abhaya mudra. While tradition attributes its origin to Sri Lanka, it is more likely to have been produced in the Khmer cultural sphere of Angkor. The Phra Bang was brought to the kingdom of Lan Xang from Angkor during the reign of Fa Ngum and played a central role in the establishment and dissemination of Theravada Buddhism within the newly founded kingdom. The present figure displays clear affinities with the Phra Bang type, particularly in its slender proportions and the treatment of the garment, which clings closely to the legs and accentuates the contours of the body. It is distinguished, however, by the highly unusual position of the arms, which are held alongside the torso rather than raised in the conventional gesture of dispelling fear. This posture is unique to Southeast Asia and may represent the Buddha walking during his ascent from Tavatimsa Heaven or after Enlightenment; in Thailand, it is also interpreted as a "calling for rain" gesture. Literature comparison: Compare a related bronze figure of Buddha with similarly posed hands, Northern Thailand, 16th-17th century, 38 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number FBInd.38. Compare a related bronze figure of Buddha with similarly posed hands, Laos, 18th century, 160 cm high, sold at Christie’s Paris, 24 May 2006, lot 707.

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