Cambodia - Khmer art Bronze / copper alloy Crowned Buddha seated in bronze

Bronze crowned Buddha — Khmer art, Angkor period, 12th–13th century Former Darwin Freeman collection · Height 19.1 cm · Weight 1.202 kg Remarkable bronze statuette depicting a crowned Buddha seated in meditation, attributed to Khmer art of the Angkor period, from the 12th–13th centuries. The figure adopts a meditative posture, legs crossed in dhyāṇāsana and both hands clasped in the dhyāna mudrā gesture. At the center of the hands rests a small ritual attribute whose shape could evoke a medicinal vessel or a lotus bud. This feature allows for the possibility of a representation of Bhaiṣajyaguru, the Buddha of medicine, though this identification cannot be definitively established. The face, with almond-shaped eyes, broad nose and full lips, expresses a serenity characteristic of Khmer Buddhist art. A monumental flared crown, decorated with relief motifs and surmounted by a tall conical headdress, frames the forehead. Long hanging earrings, an elaborated necklace and armlets complete the rich princely adornment. This iconography of the crowned Buddha attests to a conception of the Buddha as the universal spiritual sovereign, a representation that underwent remarkable development in medieval Khmer art, notably under the influence of Buddhist traditions from Eastern India. The treatment of the body, with a bare chest, a tapered waist and limbs harmoniously arranged, contributes to the balance of the composition. The lower garment, or sampot, shows discernible folds. The sculpture preserves a gray-green patina with deep nuances, punctuated by greenish encrustations and areas of dark brown corrosion. These surface variations emphasize the reliefs of the crown, the ornaments and the body’s modeling. Under the base remain earthy materials compatible with vestiges of a casting core, indicating a hollow-casting technique most likely done by lost-wax casting. Provenance Former private collection Darwin Freeman, American collector born in Idaho in 1946. According to the published provenance, his collection was assembled between 1968 and 1971, notably during his stay in Thailand, then transferred to Austria, in Innsbruck. It was later kept within the family and transmitted by inheritance. Institutional Comparanda A related representation of the crowned Buddha, attributed to Khmer art in the Lopburi style and dated to the 12th–13th centuries, is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, inventory number 2019.451. The Cleveland Museum of Art also preserves a Khmer bronze from the 12th century offering an interesting parallel for the meditative posture and the object held in the hands (inv. 1942.149). Condition Good overall condition, considering the age suggested and the visible alterations. Surface wear, casting irregularities and areas of corrosion. The main iconographic elements remain legible. The work is accompanied by a Mimosa study certificate presenting its stylistic and iconographic analysis, technical characteristics, published provenance and museum comparisons.

Estimación:€4,500

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