A MASSIVE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA, AYUTTHAYA... Lot n° 373

A MASSIVE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA, AYUTTHAYA KINGDOM Thailand, 16th-17th century. Heavily cast, standing in samabhanga atop a separately cast lotus pedestal, holding both hands in abhaya mudra. Wearing diaphanous monastic robes secured at the waist by a belt, his serene face with heavy-lidded downcast eyes, thin lips forming a calm smile, elegantly arched brows, and his hair arranged in pointed curls around a high ushnisha surmounted by a four-flame siraspata. The base cast with a ring. Provenance: Collection of Godfried Wauters, Belgium. Godfried Wauters has been active in the Belgian trade for over 40 years. He has built a substantial art collection including Chinese and Buddhist sculptures, significantly expanding on the collection already built by his late father Gustaaf (1905-1992). Condition: Very good condition with expected wear and traces of use and worship, casting flaws, signs of weathering and erosions, extensive flaking to the gilt, small encrustations, and casting cracks. Weight: 105 kg Dimensions: Height 175 cm The Ayutthaya Kingdom considered the Buddha as a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom, and was known for its patronage of Buddhism, and many temples built during the period. These temples housed images of the Buddha and other Buddhist deities and were regarded as sacred places where people could practice their faith. The Ayutthaya Kingdom's rulers also used Buddhism as a means of legitimizing their power, considering themselves as "Buddha's representatives on earth," and their patronage of Buddhism was seen as a sign of their moral authority and righteousness. Literature comparison: Compare a related gilt-bronze Buddha, 119 cm high, dated 15th-16th century, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, accession number IS.11-1996. Compare a related gilt-bronze figure of Buddha, dated 16th century, in the Bangkok National Museum. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Paris, 6 July 2022, lot 233 Price: EUR 22,680 or approx. EUR 23,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, Thailand, Ayutthaya period, 17th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, with similar pose, face, and robe, and manner of casting. Note that only few remnants of gilt have remained on this bronze, which is of much smaller size (106 cm) than the present lot.