A PAIR OF LARGE BRONZE FIGURES OF SARIPUTRA AND... Lot n° 381

A PAIR OF LARGE BRONZE FIGURES OF SARIPUTRA AND MAUDGALYAYANA, RATTANAKOSIN PERIOD Expert’s note: This pair of disciples was once part of a larger group centered of course by a figure of Buddha, typically displayed in hierarchical proportion, being at least three to four times the size of the other figures. Given the size of these two disciples, the central Buddha would have been between approximately 150-200 cm tall, or perhaps even larger. Thailand, 19th century. Heavily cast, each disciple kneeling with his hands held in anjali mudra, wearing a close-fitting monastic robe, the serene face with downcast eyes and slender lips forming a calm smile, flanked by pendulous earlobes, the hair neatly arranged in tight curls. Provenance: From an old English private collection of an academic and well-traveled gentleman, assembled during the 1950s and 1960s, and thence by descent in the same family. Condition: Good condition with expected old wear, casting flaws, minor signs of weathering and erosion, small nicks, losses to base. Weight: 31 kg (each) Dimensions: Height 56.5 cm (each) Each with a fitted metal stand. (4) Sariputra and Maudgalyayana were the Buddha’s chief male disciples. Traditional accounts say they became spiritual wanderers in their youth. After having searched for spiritual truth for a while, they heard the Buddhist teaching through verses that had become widely known in the Buddhist world. Eventually they met the Buddha himself and were ordained as monks under him. Sariputra was considered the wisest of all Buddha’s disciples. Both disciples became teachers, and Maudgalyayana became known for his psychic powers which he taught to his pupils. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related pair of similarly posed bronze disciples, dated to the 19th century, 53 and 53.5 cm high, in the Walters Art Museum, accession numbers 54.2990 and 54.2991.