Thailand. Standing in samabhanga atop a circular lotus dais raised on a stepped octagonal base, both hands thrust forward in abhaya mudra, dressed in a dhoti with a center fold secured by a belt around his waist and draped with a sanghati with a flaring hem, the face with a serene expression with heavy-lidded inlaid eyes and full lips forming a gentle smile, flanked by ears adorned with pendeloque earrings, below the ornate tiara with floral decoration and stupa-like ushnisha.

Provenance: English trade. Acquired from a private estate in Salisbury.
Condition: Wear and casting irregularities, nicks, scratches, structural cracks, warping, few tiny losses, signs of heat damage to the base, old repairs, remnants of gilt.

Weight: 5,686 g
Dimensions: Height 54.5 cm

Ayutthaya at this time had one of the most prosperous capitals in the world, with foreign powers clamoring to trade with the 'Kingdom of Siam'. The tide had turned in the Burmese-Siamese wars, when in 1594 Ayutthaya launched its first offensive invasion of Burma rather than the other way around. The early and mid-17th century also saw one of the longest intermissions between major military campaigns during the three-century war. By 1700, it is estimated that the capital had the world's largest population, at around one million. During this time, Ayutthaya furthered its vigorous cultural program, culminating in the highest concentration of Buddhist art perhaps anywhere in the world.

The figure of Buddha in royal attire became popular in the sixteenth century during the Ayutthaya period. The air of Ayutthaya's prosperity and strength is reflected in this Crowned Buddha, which employs ornament and symmetry to convey majesty and inner fortitude. His overall simplicity of silhouette and abstracted physiognomy are also designed to emphasize the supreme consciousness that the Crowned Buddha embodies in this form, as opposed to prompting the viewer to focus on the mortality of the historical Buddha.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Amsterdam, 18 April 2005, lot 118
Price: EUR 4,200 or approx. EUR 6,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Thai, Ayutthaya style, bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, 17th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling with similar robe and tiara. Note the closely related size (54.5 cm).